LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office headed by retired colonel Luchinvar O. Oro held a coordinating conference with various member agencies and offices on operational preparedness for the onset of rainy season, dubbed “Oplan Kahandaan sa Tag-ulan.”
Held at the PDRRMO Conference Room in the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center, the conference not only anchored on operational preparedness but likewise tackled updating the equipage of member agencies and offices to give timely and effective responses to the public in times of disasters or calamity.
Oro stated that to be able to develop an effective operational preparedness, there is a need for all member agencies to enhance their capabilities in disaster management through proper information sharing.
He noted that baseline data are required from each agency/office to be included in the upcoming GeoCloud Integrated Information System, which is expected to go full steam soonest.
Earlier, Gov. Amado I. Espino III, along with Oro, Board Member Angel Baniqued Jr., Lingayen Mayor Josefina V. Castaneda, and Dagupan City Mayor Belen T. Fernandez attended a three-day training on 2nd Knowledge Co-Creation Program in Kawasaki, Japan last May 19 to 23, this year.
The training program sponsored by the Japanese company Informatix Inc., in coordination with Japan International Cooperation Agency, aims to support better understanding of the GeoCloud integrated information technology.
The GeoCloud project, which is the first of its kind in the country, will be launched in three pilot areas of Pangasinan, specifically in Lingayen, Dagupan, and Binmaley under Jica’s verification survey, is part of Japan’s efforts in helping improve regional disaster risk and reduction management systems.
Meanwhile, various member agencies were tasked to present reports on different topics during the coordinating conference to include Pagasa Dagupan, which tackled report on Weather 101 and Climate Outlook for May to December 2017.
The PDRRMO likewise requested all member agencies to submit updated list of manpower resources and disaster response equipment for consolidation.
Present during the coordinating conference are representatives of the four electric cooperatives/corporation operating in Pangasinan namely: Cenpelco, Decorp, Panelco 1 and Panelco III, representatives of Agno Flood Control System, Dept. of Public Works and Highways, Pangasinan PNP, Phil. Navy, Phil. Army, Phil. Red Cross, Bureau of Fire Protection, among others.