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DSWD chief eyes more responsive disaster response mechanisms

By Zorayda Tecson

February 15, 2023, 7:41 pm

<p><strong>DISASTER MANAGEMENT.</strong> DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian (seated, center) meet with officials of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) Emergency Operations Center at Clark Freeport Zone on Feb. 9, 2023. The move is part of the secretary's plans to strengthen the DSWD's preparation and logistic operations on the delivery of assistance to the people in times of calamities.<em> (Photo courtesy of DSWD)</em></p>

DISASTER MANAGEMENT. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian (seated, center) meet with officials of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) Emergency Operations Center at Clark Freeport Zone on Feb. 9, 2023. The move is part of the secretary's plans to strengthen the DSWD's preparation and logistic operations on the delivery of assistance to the people in times of calamities. (Photo courtesy of DSWD)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian aims to make the agency’s disaster management and response efforts more responsive by setting up additional response hubs and spokes.

In his visit to Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) Emergency Operations Center at Clark Freeport Zone last Feb. 9, Gatchalian met with the PDRF officials led by its president Rene Meily and chief resilience officer Guillermo Luz to discuss ways of strengthening the preparation and logistic operations on the delivery of assistance in times of calamities.

The secretary was joined by Undersecretary Eduardo Punay and personnel of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) led by Undersecretary Marco Bautista and Assistant Secretary Diana Rose Cajipe.

They checked the PDRF’s facilities and received orientation on the geographical information system (GIS) used by the emergency operations center.

“We are in the process of modernizing the command center of the DSWD in the DSWD Central Office. I visited the Command Center of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation in Clark. Their executives, led by Bill Luz, were nice enough to run us through their operations,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

During the meeting, possible coordination between the DSWD and PDRF Emergency Operations Center on the preparation and delivery of assistance during disasters was also discussed.

“We also went through setting up the DSWDs logistics plan. We learn and listen, then we make informed decisions. There are lessons to be learned from individuals in the private sector,” Gatchalian said.

One of the secretary’s plans is to partner with the private sector in strengthening the disaster response systems and mechanisms of the DSWD. (PNA)

 

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