SULU (Mindanao Examiner / June 20, 2014) – Matagumpay ang kadaraos lamang at kauna-unahang Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Summit na ginanap sa Su’Madja Hall sa Sulu Area Coordinating Center Building sa bayan ng Patikul dito.
Tumugma rin ang tema ng naturang summit na “DRRM Way to a Safer, Better and Brighter Future” sa mga programa ng pamahalaang ng Sulu kaugnay sa paghahanda kontra kalamidad.
Mismong si Manuel Luis Ochotorena, ang Executive Director ng Office of Civil Defense sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at Dr. Sharifa Pearlsia Dans, ang Assistant Secretary ng Department of the Interior and Local Government sa ARMM, ang dumalo sa summit kasama ang mga alkalde at opisyal ng ibat-ibang bayan at ahensya sa lalawigan ng Sulu.
Sa mensahe ni Sulu Gov. Totoh Tan na binasa naman ni Vice Gov. Sakur Tan ay sinabi nito na lubhang mahalaga ang kahandaan ng bawat isa sa anumang kalamidad dahil buhay at ari-arian ang nakasalalay dito.
Inihalintulad pa ni Vice Gov. Tan ang epekto ng bagyong Yolanda (Haiyan) sa Visayas at ang malaking pinsala na iniwan nito noon nakaraang taon sa rehiyon na kung saan at libo-libo ang nasawi.
“Concerned local government units, government departments and agencies and other stakeholders will be putting their heads together to fuse ideas and inputs on how best the province can respond to incidences of natural disasters and the responsibilities of all stakeholders in risk reduction efforts leading to minimizing the damaging effects of weather disturbances to lives and properties.”
“The devastation brought about by Typhoon Haiyan or locally called as Yolanda, has been the barometer in gauging responses to a disaster of such magnitude and the gargantuan rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath. It also stood as testament to the strong human spirit of rising from the ruins by resolve and determination. While Sulu is not normally in the path of violent storms such as Yolanda, the images of destruction of the areas caught in the eye of the typhoon are too much bear. If not from the Grace and Mercy of God, we, too, would have suffered the same fate,” wika pa nito.
Nanawagan rin si Vice Gov. Tan sa mga mamamayan na maging responsable sa kanilang kapaligiran at ingatan ang kalikasan.
“We must exert all possible human efforts we can muster; then and only then, we subsume to fate. Mere awareness or knowledge of natural disasters will not qualify as preparedness unless it leads to changes in the attitude and mindset of the people. Proper waste disposal and solid waste management are part and parcel of mitigating steps to lessen flooding and water surges. The haphazard construction of houses blocking waterways compounds the problem.”
“Local government units should strictly enforce laws and ordinances governing these matters, and the community should also be responsible and cooperative enough to ensure that we can live in safer environments. There is much we can do, if we do it together,” ani Vice Gov. Tan.
Matatandaan na ilan beses na rin binaha ang Sulu at pinsalang iniwan nito sa mga mamamayan, ngunit dahil sa mga programang inilatag ni Vice Gov. Tan ay naisaayos na ito. (Franzie Sali)
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