The municipality of San Francisco in the Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines won the 2011 United Nations (UN) Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction during the recent UN Third Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland.
The UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction was established in 1986 and is given to an individual or organization for outstanding and internationally recognized action that contributes to building the resilience of nations and communities to disasters. For 2011, the focus of the award is on local action in line with the campaign “Making Cities Resilient” campaign of the United Nations.
The municipality of San Francisco in the Camotes Island in Cebu used the strategy “think big, (but) start small,” in combatting disaster. It is through the innovative “purok system” that the disaster risk management program of the municipality has been boosted. It addresses the vulnerability of every barangay, mobilizing local resources in creating solutions based on the needs of every community. It uses mobile phone and radios to disseminate information and risk assessment, waste segregation, delivery of health services, and activities at the household level, thereby empowering the people and strengthening the community.
The passage of Republic Act 10121, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, has decentralized the responsibility for implementing disaster risk reduction measures from national to local governments. Hence, vulnerability and risk reduction are done more effectively. Towns and cities are urged to review the social impacts of natural disasters and recovery efforts. Disaster risk reduction with vulnerable communities is essential to protect life, infrastructure, health, and livelihood.
We congratulate the municipality of San Francisco, Cebu, headed by Mayor Allan A. Arquillano and Vice Mayor Alfredo A. Arquillano Jr. for winning the 2011 UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Reduction. We wish them all the best and success in all
Cebu towns.
Information from Manaila Bulletin.com
