Members of the provincial and municipal disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) councils in Pampanga are now better equipped to plan and assess community- based programs and projects as officials of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) recently distributed the newly-completed multi-hazard maps to concerned DRRM action officers.
Pampanga Provincial Administrator Atty. Andres S. Pangilinan, Jr. said that the multi-hazard maps which pinpoint the hydro-meteorological and earthquake risks in various communities of the province are vital in the planning, preparation and assessment of effective disaster risk reduction and management programs and projects in the province.
Pangilinan called on the DRRM officers throughout the province to thoroughly study, understand and share with all concerned the data and information contained in the multi-hazard maps as these could serve as key in reducing and managing disasters.
OCD Regional Director Josefina Timoteo said that the scientifically-generated maps are in line with Project READY, a joint undertaking of the OCD, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in coordination with the local government units.
The maps are very important in contingency planning for DRRM-related activities and other community development endeavors, Timoteo said as she added that the challenge rests on the commitment and support of the local government units in sustaining the READY project.
Pampanga is one of the provinces in the region which have been included in the project which pertains to hazards mapping and assessment for effective community-based DRRM, explained Lenie Alegre, team leader of READY project.
She said that the maps should be utilized for realistic disaster preparedness, evacuation and response plans including land use and development planning as they contain information of hydro-meteorological and earthquake hazards such as flood, rain-induced landslide, storm surge, earthquake-induced, ground rupture, ground shaking, liquefaction and tsunami.
However, Alegre clarified that the hazards and risks identified in the maps are worst case scenarios and they may not happen now or in the immediate future but they will surely happen as they are based on the geomorphology, the natural land form.
To this, she encouraged all concerned municipal and provincial engineers to take into consideration the data and inputs provided in the map and observe the stipulations of the building code in planning, assessing and approving structural designs and projects.
PHIVOLCS Representative Angel Lanuza also briefed the DRRM officers on the utilization of the multi-hazard map who recently attended a knowledge skills enhancement seminar on project READY.
PDRRMO Head Lulu Alincastre said that it is of utmost importance that DRRM at the municipal and provincial levels be properly knowledgeable and equipped with needed facilities and resources to effectively address risk reduction and management.
Alincastre facilitated the said event which was held at the executive house of the provincial capitol which was attended by representatives from PHIVOLCS, NAMRIA, MGB and OCD Director Armando Duque. (Pampanga PIO)
