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| Phivols Dir. Solidum during the opening |
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) in coordination with the DOST-Eastern Samar Provincial S&T Center and the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar (PLGU-E. Samar) has conducted a five (5) day in-house training entitled “Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Local Development Planning Process through the Provision and Training on the Use of REDAS Software” at Hotel Alejandro, Paterno St., Tacloban City last November 18-23, 2012. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Eastern Samar Provincial Office, Office of Civil Defense – Region 8, Plan Philippines and the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) also provided valuable support to the training.
The Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System or REDAS is developed by DOST-PHIVOLCS to provide quick simulated earthquake hazard information to disaster managers. The software can also develop maps showing cities/municipalities and barangays at risk to nine (9) natural hazards, namely: ground shaking, ground rupture, liquefaction, earthquake-induced landslide, tsunami, volcanic eruption, rain-induced landslide, floods and storm surge, which are all very useful for the provincial/city/municipal development planners and the academe in creating, validating and improving disaster risk reduction and development plans/activities of the LGUs/NGAs/Academe.
Eighteen (18) LGUs were able to send participants for the training, namely: Balangiga, Balangkayan, Borongan City, Can-avid, Dolores, Giporlos, Gen. MacArthur, Guiuan, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maydolong, Maslog, Mercedes, San Julian, Sulat, Salcedo and Taft, whose participants came mostly from local DILG, Municipal Planning Development Office, Municipal Engineer’s Office or the Municipal/City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC). Other participants were from DENR-E. Samar, PNP-E.Samar, Provincial Planning and Development Office, ESSU, Plan Phils.and the 8th IB Philippine Army.
The software was given for free to all those who attended the training. The training also provided them with enough knowledge to use the REDAS software for local disaster prevention and mitigation and creation of hazard maps and disaster vulnerability profiles of municipalities/city and barangays/communities as basis in identifying high-risk areas ad future interventions to reduce significant losses of lives and properties in case of natural disasters.
Dr. Renato Solidum and Dr.Bartolome Bautista, Executive Director and Deputy Director of DOST-PHIVOLCS, respectively, lead the group of resource speakers from the agency. (ArnaldoAmosco Jr., PSTD)
