UM is first school in the region with DRRM Resource Center

The University of Mindanao became the first school in Davao region with a fully-equipped resource center on Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) that opened Wednesday.
Supported by the Scaling Up Resilience in Governance (SURGE), OXFAM, Christian Aid, Handicap International, and Plan International, the Inclusive Community- based DRR Regional Resource Center will provide information materials on the different types of calamities, whether man-made or natural, that occur in the country and how to prepare for it and the procedures to undertake following a disaster.
“The University of Mindanao is the only academic partner for this resource hub. The others are in the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management offices in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley, with another set to open at the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management office (CDRRMO),” said Sitti Apadan, director for the school’s Community Extension Center.
Plans for the partnership started in November last year, with the other resource centers in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley set to open on April 20, and the CDRRMO resource hub to open in May.
“The other three centers will contain all the same instructional and information materials that are found here in UM,” said Myra G. Julia, project manager for SURGE.
The resource center does not only contain information on what to do in times of disaster and how to cope with its effects, but also historical data on past calamities that have occurred in the country.
“The hub is open even to the public, if they want to learn about the history behind calamities such as Typhoon Pablo, and the like,” said Apadan.
Apadan added that in partnering with UM, a Master’s Program in DRRM under the Management course is also in the works.
“The curriculum will still be ironed out between the school and CDRRMC, but there are now certification programs for DRRM offered by UM,” she said.
An important feature of the center is the information materials provided that highlight the vulnerability of certain sectors in times of disaster, specifically the elderly, women, children, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities, and what can be done to mitigate the effects of disasters for these sectors.
“Awareness on disasters is important for everybody because it helps us become more resilient, and how to respond in times of disaster,” said Apadan.
Regional director for the Office of the Civil Defense Loreto Rirao said the continued information dissemination on the course of action during different types of disaster was important in order to mainstream information to all kinds of people.
“Part of mainstreaming information on DRRM is to continually make materials available to the public,” said Rirao.
The turnover ceremony was attended by representatives from the SURGE and its partners, as well as school officials including Pedro B. San Jose, Executive Vice President for Academics.