LEADING telecommunications company Globe Telecom began its series of basic emergency response training for barangay leaders as part of its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management program for municipalities and in observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month.
“We understand that in times of emergency, fast action is of utmost importance. Thus, we would like to instill in our barangay leaders basic awareness of how to deal with various unexpected and dangerous situations so they can move swiftly as first responders,” said Fernando Esguerra, Director, Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.
The initial batch of trainees totaled 394 from 29 barangays in Malinao and 23 barangays in Santo Domingo, both in the province of Albay.
Topics covered include fire safety; first aid based on mass casualty incident and rapid treatment; crime and biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical, and explosive terrorism; and emergency preparedness.
On the other hand, employees of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in the two areas will undergo capacity building on Basic Weather 101 to get clear understanding about the different weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, lightning, floods, strong winds, and tornadoes.
Earlier, Globe donated equipment to the two municipalities as well as Mercedes in Camarines Norte under its “Sagot Ka ni Kap” program to help the barangay leaders in patrolling their respective areas. Among the tools turned over are cellphones, SIM cards, uniforms for nightly duty, and personal accident insurance via SMS registration. Globe has been implementing SKK since 2008 to improve the abilities of its partner communities to respond to emergencies.
Globe also provided the municipalities with SMS Broadcast Facility to allow the mayors direct contact with their barangay captains for faster coordination and immediate download of relevant and critical disaster information.
The country is often assaulted by natural disasters, making basic knowledge of emergency response necessary. In 2013 alone, a deadly earthquake hit the Visayas region while 25 tropical cyclones entered the Philippines, with super typhoon Yolanda leaving a trail of severe devastation on its wake.