CEBU CITY, Cebu, March 24 (PIA) -- The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) has recruited members of various fraternities and sororities in the city to become volunteer responders in times of calamities, disasters, and other emergency situations.

Through its new program called the “Cebu City Volunteer Movement”, CCDRRMO aims to organize an Inter-Fraternity and Sorority Responders Group that will showcase the spirit of volunteerism among fraternities and sororities.

The Volunteer Movement is a five-day or 40-hour program where volunteers will undergo training on how to perform basic disaster response skills such as fire fighting, basic life support, basic road techniques, and rope rescue practical courses.

The program hopes to create an additional network of emergency responders not only at the barangay level but at the sitio level through the assistance of the volunteer members.

This is also a way to redirect the attention of fraternity and sorority members to be involved in community works and social responsibility instead of engaging in violent inter-frat clashes.

According to Data Management Chief of the Cebu City Disaster Office, Martin Lorenzo Del Rosario, the program has trained around 540 fraternity and sorority members who are now volunteer responders ready to be activated in times of emergency.

Del Rosario also added that aside from these volunteer emergency responders, Cebu City has also established “Special Rescue Squads” who will respond to specialized and technical disasters.

The CCDRRMO hopes that more fraternity and sorority members will join the Volunteer Movement as the city recognizes their important role as additional force multipliers who can respond to emergencies. 

The Cebu City Volunteer Movement was part of the disaster preparedness initiatives and accomplishments presented by the CCDRRMO during the Disaster Preparedness Cluster Meeting led by the Department of Interior and Local Government 7 on March 23. (RGC/PIA7)