The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) of the Philippines has recently vowed to accelerate efforts to strengthen barangays’ preparedness in responding to disasters and other emergencies to minimize casualties and loss of property in the wake of the Philippines topping the World Disaster Risk Index 2022, which named the country that is most vulnerable to the effects of disasters.

The World Risk Index is an annual report that calculates disaster risk for 193 countries covering vulnerability from earthquakes, hurricanes/typhoons, floods (both coastal and riverine), drought, sea-level rise, tsunamis, and conflict. Joining the Philippines in the top five for this year’s ranking are India and Indonesia in second and third place, respectively, followed by Colombia and Mexico.

The DILG seeks to equip barangays with the necessary knowledge, skills, and capacities to manage and reduce disaster risks to become disaster-prepared and resilient Filipino communities.

In the process, the DILG Secretary, Benjamin Abalos Jr.,  has assigned the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to assist in the training of barangay officials to enhance their capacity.

Notably, this initiative is also in line with the BFP Modernization Act of 2021, or Republic Act No. 11589, which essentially mandates the implementation of a 10-year program to modernize the BFP, transforming it into a modern and world-class institution in order to consistently guarantee the people’s safety.

Specifically, it will embark on the following:

1. Expansion of the BFP’s manpower including volunteers.
2. Provision of specialized training for firefighters and volunteers.
3. Acquisition of modern fire equipment.

The BFP is not alone in this undertaking as this is an endeavor of all concerned government agencies. It is hoped that this law will further inspire the men and women of the BFP to hone their skills and expertise in fire prevention and suppression, as well as emergency, medical response, disaster preparedness, and resilience.

News link:
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1186897