Imagine you're working inside the city hall, and a strong earthquake strikes the building. You or your colleagues are wounded, but you can't get out of the building in a hurry since communication and transportation lines are down. What would you do?
This is one scenario the city government of San Pedro City, Laguna under Mayor Art Mercado wants to address in its newest measure to enhance its disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) program.
Last Friday, January 16, Mercado, along with City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Nico Pavino, led the distribution of "Go Bags" in various local departments inside the San Pedro City Hall.
Aside from the distribution of the “Go Bags,” CDRRMO officials also held an orientation among the city’s employees on the basic use of the equipment inside these kits.
“Part po ng ating ‘Una sa Kaligtasan’ program ay ang kaligtasan sa pamahalaan at kaligtasan sa pinagtatrabahuhan,” Pavino said in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
"We should be the role model – kung nagtuturo tayo ng disaster preparedness, we should be the first to demonstrate to others, especially to private companies, na pinapahalagahan natin ang safety ng ating mga empleyado,” he added.
The "Go Bag" aims to be a first-hand disaster response kit that city employees can use in times of emergency, complete with a medical kit, a hard hat, a portable dynamo flashlight, a solar panel that could be used when electricity is unavailable, and a portable radio, also powered by solar energy.
Why a solar panel? “We’re preparing for the worst-case scenario: we anticipate na mawawalan tayo ng kuryente. So with these, pwede pa rin tayong makapag-charge ng phone, para at least makapag-connect pa rin tayo – and dahil multi-purpose rin naman ngayon ang ating mga smartphone, at least may magagawa pa rin tayo despite the emergency,” Pavino said.
‘Culture of safety’
Aside from giving employees their own kits that they could use in times of emergency, Pavino said he hopes the new "Go Bags" could inspire them to create their own emergency kits in their homes or in their neighborhoods.
The San Pedro CDRRMO added that, as part of instilling that “culture of safety,” his office has been conducting regular orientations and seminars among different sectors in San Pedro City, on how to create and maintain their own “Go Bags.”
“Iba-iba ang pangangailangan ng bawat pamilya sa panahon ng kalamidad,” he explained. “For instance, may mga pamilyang may sanggol, so kailangan yung ‘go bag’ nila, may diapers or wipes. Kung may senior citizens, kailangan kasama ang gamot nila. So ito ang ibinabahagi nating ‘culture of safety and preparedness’ sa ating lungsod: yung kultura na kailangan lagi silang handa sa panahon ng kalamidad.”
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