CAGAYAN DE ORO: An official emphasized the pivotal role of local government unit (LGU) communicators in disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) during a statement on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, assistant weather services chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) national office, it is vital for LGUs to disseminate accurate information during disasters. Arruejo highlighted the significance of effective communication in connecting disaster preparedness with community resilience and underlined the importance of teamwork among LGU communicators in enhancing community responses.
Charmaine Villamil, a senior science research specialist at the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) national office, further underscored the need for communicators to be well-informed about geological hazards. Understanding these hazards is crucial for preparing and mitigating potential risks such as earthquakes and landslides. Villamil stressed that clear and timely information is key to transitioning from chaos to coordinated action in disaster scenarios.
Both PAGASA and Phivolcs experts were engaged by the Department of Science and Technology in Northern Mindanao. Their role is to assist LGUs and agency communicators in developing an efficient network for disseminating DRRM information, ensuring that communities are better prepared and can respond effectively to disasters.