CEBU: More volunteers are joining disaster risk management work and seeking certifications from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), an official said Tuesday. Director Joel Erestain of OCD-Central Visayas said the region has 4,108 individuals who have completed the Incident Command System (ICS) training from 2023 to 2024, an indication that many people are interested in getting certified by the office. In the region, Erestain said 130 local government units and organizations have joined for ICS certification. ICS is an on-scene incident management mechanism that can be used during emergencies or calamities. The certification provides a common language for all emergency responders and plotting an organizational structure that can grow rapidly in response to the requirements in an emergency. Apart from ICS, the office also conducted 250 other relevant trainings within the past year. Erestain said that the national government, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, released PHP833 million worth of projects in Cebu and PHP498 million in Bohol. 'We are strengthening partnerships and collaborations with local government agencies and various stakeholders in implementing disaster-related programs and projects,' he added. Source: Philippines News agency
