DILG launches disaster mgt protocol

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government has launched in Negros Oriental the manual for Operation “Listo” (alert) to provide local government units the capability on disaster preparedness, management and response.

At least 100 representatives from different towns and cities in the province, including five mayors, disaster risk reduction and management councils, the police and the Bureau of Fire Protection attended the launching at a hotel in this city on Wednesday.

DILG-Region 7 Director Ananias Villacorta distributed to the participants copies of the Disaster Preparedness Journal, which was prepared by the Local Government Academy.

Villacorta said the journal is basically a checklist of the minimum requirements for local officials to follow in times of disasters, calamities and other emergencies.

The journal will serve as guidelines for emergency response as well as grass-roots level participation, involving the barangays, during disasters, Villacorta said, adding that mayors can be charged if found guilty of negligence in carrying out these protocols. — Judy Flores Partlow and Juancho R. Gallarde (FREEMAN)