City to give P3.5 million to ERUF for disaster trainings in barangays

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government will give P3.5 million to the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) to shoulder the expenses for the conduct of disaster preparedness trainings in 23 barangays of the city for the people to know what to do in case of emergency situations in their respective areas.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, action officer of the Cebu City Disasters Coordinating Council, explained that of the city’s 80 barangays only 23 has not yet undergone training for the barangay officials and employees to know how to respond when emergency situation occurs.

According to Carillo, the ERUF personnel had already conducted disaster preparedness trainings to the officials and employees of 57 barangays of the city last year after the Cebu City government gave P4,610,000 to ERUF but part of the budget was not used due to lack of time.

The law provides that all public funds go back to the government coffers if they are not spent during the year.

The said pre and post disaster activities include the conduct of periodic drills, training, disaster response and some other activities.

ERUF paramedics are scheduled to conduct disaster preparedness training in barangays Adlaon, Kasambagan, Sirao, Bonbon, Tabunan, Buhisan, Buot-Taup, Tagbao, Paril, Guba, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sudlon II, Kalubihan, Babag, Sto. Niño, Mabini, Sudlon 1, Malubog, Pamutan, Cambinocot, Pit-os, Sinsin and Binaliw.

Alvin Santillana, Carillos’s executive officer, explained that the barangay officials and their constituents need to be trained for them to be self reliant in responding to and recovering from any disaster.

Each barangay are required to enlist 100 willing and able volunteers to participate in the training, which upon completion, will then form part as members of their barangay disaster brigades.

Santillana said the module is specifically designed and tailored to fit the current structure of the barangays within Cebu City base on what is practically necessary and applicable to the community in terms to the scope of their involvement towards disaster management.

Among the subjects to be taught to the participants are the basic first aid, community fire fighting, security and crowd control, and others. (FREEMAN NEWS)