By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Disaster reduction and management is not just the work of the government but it needs the support of the private sector, Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James E. Purisima, Deputy Administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), has said.
“No single agency of the government can handle this even if we are looking at the establishment of the Department of Disaster Resilience,” he said during a press conference at the sidelines of the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) where Iloilo was chosen as the ceremonial venue this first quarter.
He emphasized that while the government has the capacity to respond but the “greater part of disaster risk reduction requires everyone’s participation”.
He said there are a lot of volunteer groups and private sectors with resources that are willing to extend their help. “Some resources are lodged with the private sectors. That’s why we should have partnerships, we should have standby agreements to sustain the synergy,” he added.
He also underscored the need to prepare depending on the risks and hazards of the community. By knowing, then they would know what to ask from the private sector to further assist the government in saving lives, he said.
Undersecretary Renato Solidum, Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS), meanwhile, said the government and the private sector also promote continuity, particularly the “business continuity planning”.
He cited that providing support such as search and rescue and response should be part of their advocacy.
Meantime, Regional Director Jose Roberto Nuñez said that the assessment of the NSED in this city is still ongoing but initially it was “very successful” as he cited the participation of all agencies, the local government, responders and the community.
“That’s the way how you are going to react when it comes to disasters,” he said.
