Whether typhoon months or not, Region Eight has a good reason to be ready all the time.  Major disasters that struck the region in the past taught one crucial lesson – be prepared.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Eight, which chairs the Relief and Rehabilitation Committee of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) and rests on a new mandate, has developed measures to prevent or minimize the effects of disasters, at the start of the year.

“ With the devolution of most of social welfare programs and services to the Local Government Units, the Department positions itself as technical assistance provider and resource augmenter,” DSWD Field Office Eight Director Leticia Corillo said, adding that though the LGUs are at the frontline, the agency has all the more assumed a bigger role than ever before.

Pauline Nadera, focal person for the disaster program in the region, reported that for the year, “we are aiming to cover all disaster – prone areas in the conduct of the Family and Community Disaster Preparedness (FCDP) trainings to capacitate community leaders and volunteers.”

She revealed that on January 5 to 7 of this year, the Field Office has extended technical assistance to the City Social Welfare and Development Office of Tacloban in a FCDP training.

On the other hand, Nadera revealed that the conduct of the Hazard-Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment was completed in areas covered by the READY Project of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) in the region.  These are the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar, with Leyte and Southern Leyte coming up already with their respective comprehensive multi-hazard map.

Biliran and Samar provinces will have their own, as soon as funds are available.

The “Hazards Mapping and Assessment for Effective Community-based Disaster Risk Management “ or READY Project is funded by the United Nations Development Program me and Australian Government,  for a coordinated action in disaster risk management.

Meanwhile, Director Corillo bared that the office always maintains a standby fund amounting to Php 300,000.00 and one thousand family packs of food commodities, at any given time, should any natural calamity happens in any part of the region.

She, then, appeal to partner-agencies, local government units, and communities to do their part in being disaster-ready.”