ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Western Visayas is encouraging civil society organizations (CSOs) to be part of the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs).

The call was an offshoot of the recent first episode of the 2023 Dagyaw Open Government Town Hall Meetings with the theme “Pag-andam kag Pagpahagan-hagan: Building Resilience through Information and Action” held at the JR Hall of Diversion 21 Hotel, here.

The membership of the CSOs in such, according to her, highlights the important role of civil society organizations in various programs and activities in line with disaster risk reduction and management.

Meanwhile, she also encouraged the CSOs to participate in the Gawad Kalasag, the search for excellence in disaster risk reduction which serves as a venue to showcase their own programs and initiatives in DRRM.

Meanwhile, fellow Dagyaw 2023 panel discussant and University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) associate professor Jorge S. Ebay further highlighted Dagyaw as “a good example of how we can come together, civil society organizations and government agencies, para nga istoryahan ano ang nagakaigo nga tikang pwede naton maobra para ma-reduce ang risgo sang disasters kag mapahagan-hagan ang epekto sang climate change (for us to discuss the necessary steps that we can do to reduce the risk of disasters and the effects of climate change).” (AAL/FRG/PIA6)