• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than 100 disaster risk reduction and management officers of the Negros Island Region (NIR) gathered at the Victorias City Command and Evacuation Center in Negros Occidental on Friday (July 26) to share best practices and discuss ways to make disaster response and efforts more responsive and effective under the new region.
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said that he was very excited for the summit since it was a first regional activity under the NIR.
As he lauded the Alliance of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers of Negros Island Inc. (ADDRMONI) for choosing Victorias City to be the venue, Benitez said that the “summit benchmarks a strong and united NIR in building more disaster-resilient Filipino communities”.
“We are here, empowered by our collective determination to build a more resilient future, a future where our communities cannot only weather the storms, but emerge stronger,” he added.
“We are gathered today, not only for camaraderie, unity and fellowship, but to talk about what we need being a region for our disaster risk reduction practices to be strong,” the mayor said.
Benitez also committed to implementing measures to proactively mitigate risks and prepare for the inevitable.
This is why the Victorias City government invests much in prevention, because preparedness is always paramount, he added.
The P55-million state-of-the-art Victorias City Command and Evacuation Center, which was inaugurated earlier this year by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, is now operational for efficient monitoring and swift emergency response.
“I believe with strong alliance and collaboration in our region, we can all achieve so much in our respective cities and municipalities. The safety and welfare of Negros Island and Siquijor residents, security of its economies, depend on their collective action as a new region,” the mayor said.
“Let us move forward, united in one purpose, to build a future where disaster risk reduction and management is not just a policy, but a way of life,” he pointed out.
Benitez added: “Let us transform vulnerability into strength, despair into hope, and build a Negros-Siquijor Island Region that can stand against any calamity, storm, or disaster.” | GB
