TACLOBAN CITY — To enhance disaster risk assessment and strengthen evidence-based planning at the local level, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VIII and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) will conduct a GeoRiskPH training in Northern Samar next month.
The upcoming activity was finalized during a coordination meeting between Northern Samar Vice Governor Clarence Dato and officials from DOST and Phivolcs, underscoring the provincial government’s support for science-based disaster preparedness initiatives.
DOST and Phivolcs representatives said the training will focus on the use of the GeoRiskPH platform, a national hazard and risk assessment system that enables local governments to collect, analyze, and share data to support informed decision-making and development planning.
The program will cover lectures on building typology, earthquake hazards, and volcanic hazards, complemented by hands-on field data collection using the GeoRiskPH and GeoMapperPH mobile applications.
Participants will include Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers and Local Planning and Development Officers from various municipalities in Northern Samar, who are expected to directly apply the tools in local disaster risk reduction and management efforts.
Provincial officials welcomed the initiative, citing its importance in improving disaster preparedness, risk reduction strategies, and sustainable development planning across the province.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
