The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7 held its first-ever disaster response conference throughout the month of September.

With the theme “Improving Capability for Disaster Operations at the Local Level,” the activity was attended by the local social welfare and development officers and local disaster risk reduction officers of Central Visayas.

The activity aimed to identify the issues, concerns, and recommendations on the policies and program on disaster response operations based on the results of the Gawad Kalasag assessment, tackle the challenges of the LSWDOs and LDRRMOs, find possible solutions, and know the updates and guidance from the cluster leads.

Aside from the learning sessions, an awards night was also held to recognize the outstanding support and efforts of select local government units and individuals in disaster preparedness and response.

These are the following awardees:

Cebu Province:

• Local Government Units
  • Most Responsive Mechanism on Inter-island Operations Award
  • Lapu-Lapu City; LGU with High Resource Capability Award: Mandaue City
  • Most Impressive Management of Locally Stranded Individuals Award: Danao City
  • Good Practice in Management of Local Water Resources for Disaster Operations Award: Local Government Unit of Danao City
  • Most Sustained Databasing of the Administered Disaster Assistance Family Access Card (DAFAC) Award: City of Naga
  • Most Impressive Efforts on Camp Coordination and Camp Management and Internally Displaced Persons’ Protection (CCCM and IDP Protection) Award: Talisay City

• Individuals
  • Most Impressive Camp Coordinator Award: Ms. Felipa T. Solana;
  • Most Active Volunteer on Food Packing Award: Mr. Eduardo Jarina;
  • Most Active Volunteer Resource Person on CCCM and IDP Protection Training Award: Mr. Eliseo G. Rapana.

Bohol Province:

• Local Government Units
  • Local Government Unit with High Resource Capability: Tagbilaran City
  • Most Impressive Local Government Unit on Management of Pre-emptive Evacuation: Municipality of Candijay
  • Most Responsive Local Government Unit in the Prepositioning of DSWD’s Food and Non-Food Items: Municipality of Loboc
  • Most Impressive Local Government Unit on Disaster Response Data Management: Municipality of Candijay
  • Local Government Unit with Impressive Efforts in the Implementation of the Humanitarian Cash Transfer Plus Program and Pilot Testing of the E-DAFAC Information System in Partnership with UNICEF: Municipality of Bilar
  • Efficient and Strategic Prepositioning of Emergency Response Resources: Province of Bohol

• Individuals
  • Most Impressive Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer: Jeryl L. Fuentes
  • Most Active Volunteer Resource Person on CCCM and IDP Protection Training: Flen D. Maquiling

Negros Oriental Province and Siquijor Province:

• Local Government Units
  • Local Government Unit with High Resource Capability on Disaster Preparedness for Response – Municipality of Mabinay
  • Good Practice in the Management of Portable Clean Water Distribution for Disaster Operations – City of Canlaon
  • Most Impressive Response Initiatives and Emergency Operations Center – City of Bayawan
  • Most Impressive Efforts on Camp Coordination and Camp Management and Internally Displaced Person Protection – Bais City
  • Most Responsive Local Government Unit in the Prepositioning of DSWD’s Food and Non-Food Items – Siquijor (Capital)

These awardees were carefully deliberated by key Disaster Response Cluster member agencies through the Gawad Kalasag Assessment result.

The conference was strategically held on separate schedules to fit the needs of each province. Cebu was conducted on August 31–September 1, Bohol on September 14–15, and the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor on September 21–22, 2023.

Aside from the LSWDOs and LDRRMOs, the conference was attended by members of the Disaster Response Cluster to promote and encourage engagement with LGU partners to strengthen relationships and foster good communication, which would help improve the delivery of augmentation support during disaster preparation, operations, and early recovery.  ###

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