After six months of intensive training and capacity building on community-based disaster preparedness, Brgy. Bayanan’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) formally received its Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Manual in January 2013.
The DRM Manual was presented to the local council by PTC-CSJ Foundation’s Executive Director Ms. Flory Tabio and Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR)’s Executive Director Ms. Mabel Apostol. This comprehensive guide serves as the community's primary roadmap for emergency response and mitigation strategies.
Barangay officials and volunteers review local disaster protocols during the capacity-building phase.
Barangay Bayanan in Muntinlupa City, the site of the Foundation’s flagship 3G Program, is prone to flooding due to its proximity to Laguna Lake. In 2012, CNDR, with support from the Foundation, implemented the Noah’s Ark Project with the ambitious goal of helping the community achieve zero casualties during natural disasters.
The effectiveness of this preparation was proven during the onslaught of the 2012 monsoon rains ("habagat"). As BDRRMC Vice-Chairman Kagawad Jojo Solema noted, “The project was successful because we had no casualties during the habagat. The response of the various committees was timely and synchronized. We were all serious to apply what we learned from the DRM training.”