The Office of Civil Defense in Central Luzon (OCD-3) is empowering vulnerable communities in the region to become resilient in times of disaster.

OCD-3 Officer in Charge Shelby Ruiz said on Wednesday that a Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CBDRRM) and Community-Based Early Warning System (CBEWS) orientation has been conducted in vulnerable communities in Bagac town, Bataan province and Hagonoy town, Bulacan province to enhance the knowledge and skills of the local officials as well as residents in responding to disasters.

“The CBDRRM and CBEWS orientation focuses on empowering vulnerable communities, enhancing their knowledge and skills, and building their resilience to effectively prepare, manage and respond to various hazards and disasters,” Ruiz said in a statement.

She said the orientation is also part of the implementation plan of the Mobile Command and Control Center Vehicle (MOCCOV) Project of the Department of Science and Technology-3 (DOST-3) under its Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program, which is being implemented by OCD-3.

Under the MOCCOV implementation plan, OCD-3 will capacitate at least 20 vulnerable communities in the region through the conduct of various disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) capacity-building activities such as CBDRRM/CBEWS orientation.

Ruiz said an integral part of the activity was the distribution of various DRRM information, education, and communication materials, particularly in Barangay Paysawan in Bagac and in Barangays Pugad and Tibaguin in Hagonoy, considered among the high-risk areas in the region.

“The materials aim to promote public awareness regarding disaster preparedness, response, and resilience,” she said.

Local officials thanked OCD-3 for its invaluable contribution to their local government units’ (LGUs’) DRRM efforts.

Dennis Tutol, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Bagac, said the activity demonstrated the commitment of both the LGU and OCD-3 in actively supporting and strengthening efforts toward building safer, adaptive and disaster-resilient communities.

Hagonoy Mayor Flordeliza Manlapaz likewise thanked OCD-3 for conducting the orientation which, she said, will further strengthen the disaster awareness and preparedness of residents in two of the most high-risk areas in their municipality. (PNA)