City holds emerging and re-emerging diseases planning workshop

The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has necessitated the need for the city government to develop a contingency plan for emerging and re-emerging diseases to be integrated in the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (CDRRMC) Public Service Continuity and Contingency Plans.

In this regard, the CDRRM Office under Antonette Anaban has conducted a “Contingency Planning Workshop on Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases” from Dec. 13 to 17  participated by focal representatives of DRRMC member offices, agencies and civil society organizations.

Anaban said the five-day activity aimed to give participants the knowledge, skills and attitude that are essential in formulating a contingency plan that is responsive to needs that will arise during a worst-case situation brought about by Public Health Emergencies.      

Anaban explained that DRRM is the systematic process of using administrative directives, organizations, operational skills and capacities to implement strategies, policies and improved coping capacities in order to lessen the adverse impacts of hazards and possibility of disasters.

She echoed Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s appeal for residents and visitors to strictly follow minimum public health standards and getting fully vaccinated including having booster shots as protective shields against Covid-19 and its variants.

Similar week-long workshops developing contingency plans on Earthquakes and Hydrometeorological Disasters were also conducted by her office.

Anaban said outputs of all three activities will be presented to the city council and the Mayor for their consideration and possible approval.

Efficient disaster management is one of the city government’s 15-point agenda towards achieving good governance. – Gaby B. Keith