A three day Disaster Risk Reduction Training held in Barangay Tonglayan, Natonin, Mt. Province on December 3-5, 2011 was attended by 34 participants representing different sectors such as students, barangay officials, teachers and key leaders of different People’s Organization in the community.
The CorDis RDS Mt. Province Team organized the activity and served as resource persons. This was held at the Tonglayan Elementary School. The training aimed to provide venue for the participants to understand basic concepts on disaster risk reduction, impart knowledge on how to face disaster events using their capacities as a community, share their experiences on responding disasters and to organize a Disaster Preparedness Committee who will take lead role in disaster response activities in the barangay.
The major topics discussed were updates on disaster situation from the local, national and international levels, understanding hazards affecting the community wherein the participants were able to prepare hazard maps and disaster history of the area, discussion on significant laws in relation to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and lastly, formation of a disaster preparedness committee (DPC) and planning. At the end of the training, the participants especially the teachers and community leaders headed the formation of DPC for Barangay Tonglayan and they were able to prepare a plan on how the DPC will become functional. Part of their plan is to conduct a Disaster Preparedness Training, preparation of a Contingency Plan and consultation with the barangay officials to re-organize the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (BDRRMC) wherein the DPC organized will be represented.