PDRRMC approves P109 M 

readiness response budget

TAGBILARAN CITY, March 9 (PIA)--The Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) in its full council meeting March 7 approved P76 million which forms part of the 70% of the Disaster funds which Bohol has allotted for 2018, last March 8. 

All in all, the PDRRMC operates on a 109,717,374.10 budget for 2018, with another P30% fund for quick response for disaster amounting to 32,915,212.20. 

PDRRM Action Officer Anthony Damalerio presented a pro-active disaster and risk reduction plan with the Pre-Disaster Programs eating 70% of the 2018 Disaster funds, as the full PDRRM council helped scrutinize the breakdown of programs and activities. 

Damalerio presented the breakdown of the 3-item 70% pre disaster program as prevention and mitigation amounting to P3.2 million, disaster preparedness and response totaling P67, 622, 344 and some P13 million for disaster rehabilitation. 

For the disaster prevention and mitigation, PDRRMC nodded to the P100,000 allocated for review and finalization of the local climate change action plan, P20,000 for the continued dissemination of the local disaster and risk reduction plan, P1 million for the conduct of vulnerability and risk assessment with the municipal and disaster teams and agencies as well as IEC on risk assessment results. 

The PRDDM action officer also proposed some P500,000 for the conduct orientation on the Safety and Health Accreditation and Policy Standards for tourism-based facilities and activities, another half a million for enhancement of K9 training for disaster training and mitigation and P100,000 for the formulation of the provincial Disaster Response and Operations Manual. 

The biggest chunk of the Pre Disaster budget went to disaster preparedness with includes P1.5 million in support of the Provincial Fire Alarms, radio and Emergency Rescue Disaster Systems as well as an aid of P3 million for the procurement of a lot to resettle port dwellers of Maribojoc whose houses are now within reach of the rising tides. 

For disaster preparedness capacity building programs, the PDRRMO allocates P2 million for capacitating barangay officials and local emergency responders on the use of rescue equipment and vehicles, P 1 million for conduct of critical incidents stress debriefings trainings and workshops to stakeholders and responders. 

The council also set aside P1.5 million for basic skills training for emergency responders on disaster preparedness and response, search rescue and retrieval operations, another P1.5 million for the PDRRMO emergency responders skills upgrading, some P900,000 for the conduct of incident command system (ICS) position courses and all-Hazard incident management training for PDRRMC council members and other stakeholders. 

Among the programmed disbursements of the 70% disaster funds also include the P9.42 million skills upgrading and enhancement training for responders of PDRRMO-TaRSIER Tagbilaran including substations in Ubay, Jagna, Carmen and Loon and other volunteers (including additional equipment for substations).

This year, the PDRRMC allocated P50,000 for the establishment of a TaRSIER substation in Loon, while some P75,000 goes to the trainings on the standard requirement for disaster resilient buildings for municipal engineers. 

This year too, the PDRRMC sets aside some P200,000 as prizes for the best DRRM-CCA province-wide activities, P150,000 for partnerships and renewal of MOA with private sectors and organization on mutual help during disasters. 

For its admin operations, the PDRRM approved the 100,000 aid to disaster response task force, some P3.2 million for the completion of the PDRRMC Command Center including its radio communications systems, P2 million for the integrated fire alarm systems for the new Capitol, and some P6 million for the acquisition of additional DR equipment and paraphernalia for TaRSIER 117. 

For communities in priority critical watershed areas, P1 million goes to the establishment of early warning and forecasting system and a corresponding P500,000 budget for the conduct of IEC on these early warning systems. 

The council also set funds for the acquisition of audible warning system for location in strategic areas in the province for 2,250,000, and P5.1 million for the establishment of DRR-CCA and Local Governance Training Center. 

Another P18.5 M has been set for the acquisition of disaster equipment for disaster response and rescue activities – ambulances and RDANA vehicles, as well as P1.5 M for stockpiling of basic emergency supplies in preparation of any untoward disasters.

For disaster rehabilitation, the council approved the P7million funds for the Removal and salvaging of Abachanan Bridge, Sierra Bullones that was damaged during the outset of Typhoon Basyang and another P6 M for the Flood Control - Uplifting/Raising of Road (flood-prone) of Matabao-Tinangan-Pinayagan Rd in Tubigon, Bohol. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Getting proactive against disasters and working a huge part of its budget for preparedness, PDRRMC Bohol led by Gov Edgar Chatto and Action Officer Anthony Damalerio approved a P106 million budget that is seen to capacitate local officials and insulate communities against the effects of disasters and climate change. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)