Abra PDRRMC to implement Incident Command System

By Maria Teresa B. Benas

Sunday 29th of July 2012

BANGUED, Abra, July 29 (PIA) -- Members of the Abra Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) are set to adopt and implement the Incident Command System (ICS) for a more responsive disaster risk reduction management system.

This , following a three-day Basic/Intermediate Training on Incident Command System (ICS) conducted by the Office of Civil Defense – Cordillera Administrative Region (OCD-CAR) headed by Director Olivia Luces in partnership with the ICS Cadre of Instructors led by Ret. Col. Mario-Verner Monsanto held at the Heritage Resort in Caoayan, Ilocos Sur last July 23-25.

ICS had been proven a very effective tool for responsive DRRMCs in their incident management and response because the Incident Management Team (IMT) has a united and well coordinated action in times of emergencies, be it natural or man-made disasters according to the resource persons.

The ICS had been implemented in many countries already such as in the United States of America, Mexico, India, and even Japan especially in times of natural and man-made disasters where mass casualties had occurred, they added.

The PDRRMC was recently reorganized from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council by virtue of Executive Order No. 10 Series of 2012 issued and Governor Estaquio Bersamin on July 19, 2012.

The training was attended by representatives of the 21 member-agencies of the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Abra-PDRRMC headed by Engr. Hector Camcam, the designated PDRRM Officer. These are the 503rd Infantry Brigade and 41st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, the Abra Provincial Police Office (APPO), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd), Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO), Provincial Information Office (PIO), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Provincial Engineers Office (PEO), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG), and the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).

(JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR,Abra)