TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite – Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla forged an agreement with Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) to raise the province’s level of preparedness for the ‘Big One’, a possible earthquake along the fault line which traverses along the province’s General Mariano Alvarez (GMA), Carmona and Silang towns.
According to Provincial Information and Community Affairs Division (PICAD) on Wednesday, the partnership was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on Monday (May 28) held at the Office of the Provincial Government here.
Remulla inked the deal with HLA Centre Director Diosdado P. Waña and ADRA Country Director Thomas John Pignon.
The MOA is a take-off from the recent collaboration of the PCG, HLA and ADRA, where a province-wide colloquium was organized, in partnership with the Office of the Civil Defense in Region IV-A, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
In the forum, participants were one with the need to sustain the outcome of the colloquium and agreed to develop a proposal called “Vulnerability and Impact Reduction for Earthquake in Cavite “, or VIPER.
Meant to enhance the capacity of Cavite province to operationalize a contingency plan for the ‘Big One,’ the VIPER project is also expected to lessen the impacts of disasters to lives and properties through preparation and planning.
Divided into three stages, the project includes the development of contingency plan, strengthening coordination mechanism in the province, and advocacy linkages to other national contingency plans such as the Metro Yakal Plus.
Per agreement, ADRA will act as the lead agency of the venture and will lead in the overall management of the project.
Together with HLA-Philippine Academy Center (PAC), they will provide the funds for the identification of areas of collaboration among the parties related to preparedness for the 7.2 earthquake.
ADRA shall take the lead for Stage 1, while HLA-PAC will take the lead for the Stage 2 in terms of providing technical assistance or engage services of a competent local service provider to assist in the implementation of the project.
ADRA is also responsible for facilitating effective regular monitoring of the project implementation including the conduct of post activity assessment to measure the achievement of the project in a participative and transparent manner. They will formally validate the contributions of the members of the consortium and inform the parties involved should there be any changes in plans.
HLA-PAC, on the other hand, must partake in the project management team meeting and other consultations related to project implementation. HLA-PAC and PGC must contribute and commit a project counterpart which may include staff time, travel cost and the use of the venue.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) will take the lead for stage 3 and the actual implementation of the contingency plan, as well as provide technical assistance or engage services of a competent local service provider to assist in the implementation of the project stage.
PDRRMO will assist in the dissemination of information regarding status and updates of the project implementation to program beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders, and ensure the sustainability of the project by including it in the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) in such amount as may be permitted by its budget.
The province is continuously enhancing its disaster and emergency capabilities to effectively respond to calamities including in neighboring provinces as part of the coordination mechanism at the national level. (Gladys Pino/PNA)
