Bontoc, Mountain Province – The provincial government here through its Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) continues to strengthen its disaster preparedness situation by recently establishing the Provincial Strike Force/ Provincial Emergency Response Team.

The said team will act as the provincial government’s official responders in any case of emergency within the province. The team is composed of volunteers from the provincial government and from the national government agencies which includes the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and others.

About 45 members recently took oath in the presence of Governor Leonard G. Mayaen who is also the Chairperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC). The responders previously underwent Basic Life Support (BLS) Training sponsored by the provincial government.

In his message, Mayaen expressed his full support to the endeavors of the PDRRMO and gave assurance that the provincial government will provide continuous and significant trainings and skills improvement to responders. He also committed to provide other interventions to assure that the level of disaster preparedness in the province are met, to avoid potential unfavorable impacts of disasters.

Mayaen also expressed the provincial government’s support to the disaster preparedness program of the national government which is being implemented by the DILG. // Erwin S. Batnag