CDA Regional Office I Conducts e-Forum on Disaster Resiliency Preparedness Program as One of the Activities for 2020 Cooperative Month Celebration

1. CDA Regional Office I Conducts e-Forum on Disaster
Resiliency Preparedness Program as One of the Activities
for 2020 Cooperative Month Celebration
CDA Regional Office I, Dagupan City headed by the Regional Director, Dir. Josefina B.
Bitonio and the Office of Civil Defense, OCD-CAR, Engr. Jose V. Valera, Chief, Capacity
Building and Training Division conducted E-Forum on Disaster Resiliency Preparedness
Program on October 16, 2020, 2-5 pm via Zoom platform.
The activity was attended by CDA, Dagupan Extension Office personnel, and 81
cooperative members from Region I
CDA Undersecretary, Usec. Orlando R. Ravanera, an avid environmentalist was the
Guest of Honor and Speaker shared his wisdom and passion in the protection and preservation
of mother earth. He emphasized that our environment is the basis of our survival and the earth’s
existence, thus environmental protection is of utmost urgency because right now our
environment is on its way to degradation. He further reflected that we have experienced loss of
lives and properties due to the calamities as a result of global warming and climate change. He
also shared that cooperatives are the first responders during these calamities. He ended his
message by saying that “Man can live without food for forty days, a few days without water but
man cannot live for a second without love.”
Engr. Valera discussed the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
(DRRM) since natural disasters have long been a part of our country’s history because of our
geographic location. To Lessen the impact and possibility of disaster and to implement
strategies and policies, DRRM was enactment by virtue of Republic Act 10121, “An act
strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and management system, providing for the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Framework and institutionalizing the
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan, appropriating funds therefor and for
other purposes.”
Through RA 10121, the National Disaster Coordinating Council or NDCC was
transformed into the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC.
RA 10121 grants the NDRRMC with the overall policy-making, coordination, integration,
supervision, monitoring, and evaluation functions focusing on DRRM. It is the highest organized
and authorized body in DRRM in the Philippines.
He further discussed the DRRM Thematic Areas, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation,
Disaster Response, Disaster Preparedness, and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery. He
shared the Practical DRRM Tips, which includes preparation by the families, coordination with
local officials-adhere to advisories, following evacuation procedures, and drills participation.

2. For his parting insight, he said that “We can never predict what will happen in our lives in the
future. We may be having an ordinary day now, but tomorrow, the next days, weeks, months, or
years, an unexpected disaster may occur. Hence, we need to be prepared and put our acts
together.”
By: MARICEL G. RUEDAS
CDS II-Region 1