Valenzuela partners with Red Cross and hospitals for improved disaster response

Wednesday 4th of July 2012

VALENZUELA CITY, July 4 (PIA) -- The Valenzuela City government and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) have signed an agreement with five hospitals in Valenzuela City to ensure provision of utmost degree of service and emergency response systems in cases of disasters and casualties.

The hospitals are the Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital, Calalang General Hospital, Sanctissimo Rosario General Hospital, K.C. Calderon Hospital, and Fatima University Medical Center.

These hospitals would also establish the PRC Welfare Desks that will provide psychosocial support for victims of disasters and traumatic experiences. They will also help in facilitating communications with family members of victims.

The agreement is also set to boost emergency response in Valenzuela City, with the conduct of trainings and mutual sharing of knowledge on emergency responses.

With the memorandum of agreement signed, triage and other emergency response services to victims of mass-casualty incidents and disasters will be ready in no time at the five partner hospitals.

The agreement is in preparation for any upcoming disasters that might strike the country at any time. Such is also part of the strengthening of the city’s disaster risk reduction program.

According to Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, they are implementing these, along with other measures, to develop the city government and their constituents’ capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond effectively to the adverse impacts of these seismic threats (earthquakes).

“This agreement is a great boost to those programs to reduce our vulnerability (to disasters),” he said. (RJB/AKG/PIA-NCR/Valenzuela PIO)