Urban disaster management office launched in Region 8

TACLOBAN, Philippines – A German government-funded project helping LGUs to cope with natural hazards announced the opening today of the urban disaster risk management office for Region 8. The office is located at the DILG compound in Tacloban City.

The two-year project will involve three major cities – Tacloban and Ormoc in Leyte and Calbayog City in Samar – that are prone to natural hazards such as floods, landslides and storm surges. Technical assistance will be provided by GTZ on enhanced hazard mapping, DRM-focused land use planning, hazard early warning systems for communities and actual implementation of community-managed measures to reduce or prevent losses due to natural calamities and adapt to climate change.

“The opening of a UDRM office marks the close cooperation among GTZ, the DILG and the administration of the three cities,” said Olaf Neussner, GTZ chief adviser for DRM who heads the new office.

“In the end, we hope our joint efforts will help vulnerable communities adopt long term disaster risk planning to reduce losses in lives and property, while protecting their economic gains at the same time.”

The German Agency for Technical Cooperation is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.