Gov’t officials undergo training

CEBU, Philippines - Training on Thematic Environmental Management System was done in Cebu for government officials of  Negros Oriental.

The five-day training is a mechanism set up by Kalahi- Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDSS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development to ensure that environmental and social protection is kept.

Part of TEMS is related to Disaster Risk Reduction Management.

DSWD Environmental Safeguard Specialist Engineer. Joyce Palacol described the strong disasters that hit the country as “the new normal” as he encouraged the participants to improve the resilience of their own communities.

“We need to campaign and educate people to adjust to the ‘new normal. ’We are living in a different world now, so we have to endeavor building up their resistance against disasters,” Engineer Palacol said.

Kalahi-CIDSS is gearing up for its national scale-up later this year. The expansion, called National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP), targets to cover 847 poor municipalities nationwide, with priority implementation starting in areas affected by typhoon Yolanda and the 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

In central Visayas, NCDDP will cover 108 municipalities in the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor. —/NSA (FREEMAN)