(BORONGAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
TACLOBAN CITY — The Borongan City government has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-Phivolcs) to train local stakeholders on earthquake and tsunami preparedness as part of efforts to strengthen the city’s disaster resilience.
The two-day Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards and Community Preparedness Seminar opened on July 28 at the Liga ng mga Barangay Session Hall in Barangay Campesao, bringing together representatives from the city government, national government agencies, civil society organizations, and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
DOST Eastern Samar Provincial Director Dr. Arnaldo Amosco Jr. said Borongan is the first local government unit in the province to host the specialized training because of its vulnerability to tsunami hazards generated by major earthquakes.
The seminar featured lectures by DOST-PHIVOLCS experts on earthquake and tsunami hazards, disaster preparedness, and community-based risk reduction measures.
Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda welcomed the initiative and urged participants to share the knowledge gained with their respective communities, emphasizing the importance of continuous public awareness and preparedness.
Meanwhile, Jake Brandon Lorenzo Agda of the CDRRMO said the training will be conducted in four batches to include representatives from schools, government offices, emergency responders, and barangay officials. The final batch will focus on crafting barangay-specific tsunami evacuation plans to strengthen community preparedness.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
