A-PAD Philippines procured equipment for the Business Continuity Plan (BCP) Simulation for Local Government and Community for the six communities of Bicol Region.

On June 24, a ceremony was held to officially hand over the  donated equipment to the Naga City LGU. The ceremony was led by Mr. Gilbert Albero, A-PAD PH President. Present to receive the items was the mayor of Naga City, the Hon. Nelson Legacion – the head of the city’s disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) office, and Barangay (Brgy) Captains were also present at the event.  Three sets of EWS consisting of 50 whistles, 2 searchlights, 1 complete solar panel set (with inverter and controls and power cable) and megaphone were handed to the city government for use during emergencies. The mayor expressed his gratitude to A-PAD PH and to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and committed to strengthen ties with A-PAD PH towards better disaster resilience. 

On June 24 and 25, BCP Simulations were conducted in Brgy Triangulo and Brgy Sabang Naga City, respectively. Both activities were participated by the Barangay Captain and officers, the Head of the city DRRM Office, and the 20 training participants from microenterprises.  Kicking off the simulation, the Brgy officers discussed the DRRM plan, emphasizing the early warning system and evacuation plan. The results of the BCP simulations were also presented and discussed highlighting the need to build the resilience of the microenterprises before, during, and after disasters.

At the end of the drills, participants identified the strengths and weaknesses observed during the simulation. The city DRRM office also provided additional skill training on rescue and first-aid. Both Baranggays recognized the importance of incorporating the microenterprises’ concerns in the Brgy disaster plan and vowed to enhance the plan to reflect their concerns. 

*This project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan NGO Cooperation Grant Aid.