On June 21–24, 2022, Central Visayas hosted the first-ever Disaster Response Convention with the theme “From Risk to Resilience: Transforming the country’s future through a holistic response and early recovery,” handled by the DSWD Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB).

Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) chiefs and section heads from all 16 regions in the country were present, along with DRMG Undersecretary Felicisimo Budiongan, Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Encabo, DRMB Director Clifford Cyril Riveral, and National Resource and Logistics Bureau Director Emmanuel Privado.

DRMD Chief Lilibeth A. Cabiara presented the accomplishments and innovations of the Field Office in a 10-point video presentation.

First is the Oplan Tabang Isla, a strategy to bring relief assistance to the badly hit 41 island barangays in 9 local government units in Bohol Province. Affected families timely received family food packs, AICS, laminated sacks, water, medicine, and other basic needs through the joint efforts of the members of the Disaster Response Cluster.

Second, Family Food Packs (FFPs) On The Go, the strategy applied to address the massive demand for the production and fast delivery of family food packs to the affected families.

This was made possible through the following:

• Strong LGU and Private Partnership in the establishment of Packing Hubs in Candijay, Bohol, and St. Louis School Don Bosco (SLSDB) in Dumaguete City expedited FFP’s production
• Full VDRC and NLRMB’s augmentation of support of 603,952 FFPs, raw materials, and transportation during the operation.
• The successful pilot testing of 100,000 pre-packaged FFPs by five Cebu suppliers resulted in an increase in the food supply.
• Close coordination and support of the Logistic Cluster led by OCD in mobilizing partner agencies for packing of FFPs in VDRC and transporting FNFI
• Mobilization of 3,000 volunteers and deployment of staff for packing in the warehouses

Thirds, the HOPE CASHPLUS CO-CREATION, a partnership program between DSWD, UNICEF, LGU, and ECPAT, delivered Humanitarian Cash Assistance coupled with counseling on health, nutrition, child protection, education, water, sanitation, and hygiene to the affected families in San Isidro and Tubigon, Bohol and soon in Bilar, Bohol.

Fourth, CCCM AND IDP, TARA Na! In collaboration with DRMB, crash courses on camp coordination, camp management, and IDP protection were provided to barangay officials, C/MATs, and LSWDOs from all over the region.

Also, the creation of the Early Recovery Ad Hoc Team for continuous monitoring and provision of TA to LGUs with Tent City prompted the fast implementation of the Cash for Work Program, benefiting 120 grantees.

Fifth, BUILDING DSWD-PPA! acknowledgment, ceremonial turn-over of donated goods, and updating the donors on the status and distribution of donations foster transparency among the donors.

The Department also received a Certificate of Recognition from the Office of Civil Defense Region 7 for its high involvement as vice-chair of the Disaster Response Cluster and in active participation in the RDRRMC undertakings.

Sixth, the installation of grievance machinery made the Department immediately respond to all complaints received from various platforms, such as 8888, PCC complaints, and other complaints on ST Odette received on Facebook, emails, instant messaging

Seventh, the conduct of Region Wide Post Evaluation on ST Odette Disaster Operations with the LDRRMOs and LSWDOs together with the members of the RDRRMC paved the way to process their experiences, generating the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities; and picking up the lessons learned and putting them in ways forward aimed for the improvement of response operations at the LGU level.

Eight, the intensive ladderized shadowing, coaching, mentoring, and field exposure on logistics and warehouse management in coordination with the NLRMB among the warehouse staff, is a promising strategy that aims to improve the packing hubs in Central Visayas.

Ninth, Thinking Outside of the Box: Fabricated Siever, Improvised Rice Box, and Manual Conveyor with the Production Table has saved a large amount of money and time in the production of Family Food Packs. There is a tremendous increase in the output, up to 50% on a daily average, from this improvised equipment made from unused and broken pallets from deliveries.

And lastly, CMAT SAGIP-BUHAY, the heroic act of C/MATs in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental, who augmented as camp personnel in the Evacuation Camp (EC) of the LGU.

They quickly gathered children, pregnant women, older people, men and women, and PWD, including pet animals, into the ceiling of the EC to save their lives from the rage of 3-meter flash floods. This is attributed to the application of the learning gained from the various training on disaster response operations as well as their presence of mind and commitment to serve.

Field Office 7 is set to continue to conduct apacity building on the LSWDO and LDRRMOs on disaster response through the conduct of regular capacity-building activities and capacitate the C/MATs and the LGUs in CCCM, IDP Protection, Women and Children Friendly Spaces, CPIE, DROMIC and DAFAC.

It will also continue to provide the warehouse staff layered and face-to-face coaching and mentoring on logisyocs and warehouse management as well as conduct assessment on facilities and existing equipments to improve the layout of the space for efficient production.

However, while the Department commits to provide the needed basic services of disaster-affected families through the provision of FNFI and the intensive disaster preparedness and response trainings, the local government units (LGU) are the first responders in the occurrence of natural and man-made calamities, based on Republic Act 10121, otherwise known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. ###

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