Pagadian City – Eleven (11) LGUs in region-9 underwent training of trainers on Geographic Information System (GIS) for Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) on October 21-23, 2014 at Chandler Suites, Pagadian City.

 

Facilitated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government Region IX, the training of trainers (ToT) have multiplied technical people who  assisted the barangays in making their Barangay Hazard Maps.

Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil said that “the Local Government Units (LGUs), being at the forefront of disasters, play a very crucial role in disaster preparedness and management and thus, the prime movers at the local levels have to be fully capacitated and equipped with the technical know-how in all aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)”.

“ Participants are the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators and Disaster Risk Reduction Management staff from the municipalities of Liloy, Salug, Gutalac and Leon Postigo of Zamboanga del Norte. Municipalities of Dumingag, Tukuran, Kumalarang and Vincenso Sagun of Zamboanga del Sur and municipalities of Payao, Titay and Siay of Zamboanga Sibugay are also expected to attend,” said  DRRM Regional Focal Person Teresita Catalbas.

“The set of LGUs were the second batch attending the training following the first batch with 11 LGUs conducted last August 18-20, 2014 also here in Pagadian City,” she added.

Relative to the conduct, Catalbas remarked that training on GIS is important for participants to appreciate the use of hazard maps linked to planning as it is also prerequisite to Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan (LCCAP) set by December 2014.

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