Ifugao opens disaster reduction center, students participate in emergency drills

Lagawe, Ifugao (3 September) — The Ifugao provincial government opened last September 1 its Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operation Center in this capital town.

Governor Eugene Balitang said the establishment of the center does not mean that his administration encourages more disaster rather it signifies the coordinated efforts of everybody to be prepared for any disaster that may hit the province.

Balitang enjoined everyone to be prepared in times of disaster in order to save lives and minimize the destruction of properties. He added that the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council members will come up with disaster preparedness standards, create disaster management plans and direct disaster management operations.

“It is high time we institutionalize disaster preparedness. We are facing uncertain times ahead. We cannot always anticipate disasters but we can always be prepared for them. This is why the establishment of this office is very important,” Balitang said.

Meanwhile, about 500 students from the education department of the Kalinga- Apayao State College recently participated in three emergency drills conducted by members of the Kalinga Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

Hazel Abregania of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Kalinga said that a bomb emergency evacuation drill was included to prepare students from such scenario. Though this is not likely to happen in the province, chances are they could be in such situation when they travel outside the province or even out of the country, she said.

“What they learned could be applicable anywhere where they are exposed to such hazard,” she said.

As part of the regular disaster preparedness activities, the students were also oriented on the fire evacuation and earthquake drills.

It is vital that students undergo said drills considering that schools have dense population, which means that they are more at risk and have tendencies to panic during such emergencies. The drills if learned by heart could save lives, Abregania stressed.

Among those who facilitated the drills were the OCD for the earthquake drill, Bureau of Fire Protection for the fire evacuation drill and the Philippine Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion for the bomb response and evacuation exercises. (PIA)