Disaster response framework to empower brgys--Tumulak

CEBU, Philippines —  A disaster preparedness and resilience framework that transforms barangays into first responders has been officially crafted and introduced by Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Chairman Councilor Dave Tumulak.

The primary objective of the measure is to ensure that every barangay can protect lives, sustain essential services, and recover quickly during the critical first 72 hours following a disaster, when external assistance may not yet be available.

The framework, as indicated, stresses the wide-ranging impacts of disasters on human life, infrastructure, the economy, and the environment.

Immediate consequences, it added, include injuries, fatalities, disruption of medical care, mental health crises, and outbreaks of disease due to damaged sanitation systems.

According to Tumulak, the plan emphasizes that barangays must be prepared to act independently during this crucial period and be equipped to serve as their own first responders.

This entails saving lives, conducting evacuations, maintaining peace and order, organizing medical responses, and protecting vulnerable residents.

To achieve this, barangays are urged to maintain a Community Skills Registry, an updated inventory of residents with specialized skills such as doctors, nurses, police officers, engineers, carpenters, welders, and heavy equipment operators.

Complementing this is a Barangay Resource Inventory, which ensures immediate access to food, water, construction materials, generators, trucks, and rescue equipment.

The framework also includes redefining barangay health centers as community resilience hubs tasked with emergency treatment, medicine storage, patient stabilization, and maintaining registries of vulnerable households, including children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities.

This data supports targeted response and evacuation planning.

Preparedness, on the other hand, is framed as a collective responsibility, as private companies, churches, schools, homeowners’ associations, fraternities, youth groups, senior citizens’ associations, LGBTQ organizations, and transport operators are identified as vital partners in the barangay response network.

Along with this, continuous training is emphasized, covering disaster response protocols, first aid, search and rescue, communication systems, and psychological first aid.

Communication connectivity, as the measure indicates, is treated as critical infrastructure.

With this, barangays are encouraged to establish resilient systems using satellite internet, satellite phones, VHF/UHF radios, and backup power.

Communication focal persons must be designated, and systems must be regularly tested during drills.

The framework acknowledges the chaos that follows disasters, including traffic paralysis, panic buying, hoarding, looting, and misinformation.

Proposed responses include inventorying essential suppliers, coordinating peace and order, ensuring equitable distribution, and preventing misinformation. Rapid damage and needs assessments are prioritized to guide relief efforts.

District-level resource pooling is also introduced to allow barangays to share rescue vehicles, medical personnel, and evacuation facilities, ensuring faster deployment and reducing duplication of efforts.

Schools are empowered as centers of preparedness and tasked with maintaining updated DRRM plans, conducting drills, training staff, and establishing student emergency response teams. Mental health has also been integrated into disaster risk reduction.

Responders will be trained to recognize psychological distress, referral pathways will be established, and psychosocial interventions such as psychological first aid and community healing activities will be promoted.

Recovery efforts emphasize “building back better” through the rehabilitation of infrastructure, restoration of essential services, livelihood support, and psychosocial recovery.

The framework stresses that barangay officials and emergency personnel cannot serve effectively if their own families are at risk.

Preparedness must ensure that their homes are secure and their families have emergency plans, allowing them to confidently report for duty.

This envisions barangays with faster emergency response, reduced casualties, less dependence on the city government, stronger community participation, better coordination, faster recovery, and reduced economic disruption.

“The resilience of Cebu City begins with the resilience from each community,” Councilor Tumulak stressed. (CEBU NEWS)