By Edwin Fernandez/PNA
KIDAPAWAN CITY – A total of 69 volunteers from four Maguindanao towns were trained Tuesday by the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion (IB) as first responders during calamities and disasters.
The first batch of responders, named “Magiting Inter-Agency Task Force”, was trained along with elements of the 40IB in Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao. The trainees were from the towns of Rajah Buayan, Sultan Sa Barongis, Mamasapano, and Shariff Saydona Mustapha.
Lt. Col. Edgar Catu, 40IB battalion commander, lauded Rajah Buayan Mayor Zamzamin Ampatuan for partnering with the military in providing skills training to first responders from four calamity-prone areas of Maguindanao.
Catu said the volunteers were coached on different kinds of bandaging of wounds/fractures; reviving a victim using Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); high angle and low angle rescue; and various techniques of carrying a victim.
“The initiative aims to address the impact of disasters and climate change at various levels that have made significant strides in the implementation of disaster risk reduction (DRR) planning and activities,” he said.
Catu added that the knowledge and skills earned by the training participants are essential for them to be able to respond during disasters or calamities to save lives.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the commander of the 6th Infantry Division, commended the 40IB’s partnership with the LGUs in building a community of disaster first responders that would complement the Army as primary responders.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines is a primary responder in disasters and have been deployed frequently to several disaster relief operations in Central Mindanao. However, it is overwhelming if other agencies will help hand-in-hand in responding to natural and manmade disasters,” Sobejana said.
