Several mayors and municipal officials from Eastern Visayas visited Barangay San Antonio (BSA) in Pasig last Wednesday to learn from its disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) practices for them to emulate in their localities.

BSA has been awarded the Galing Pook 2010 for Outstanding Local Governance Programs in Disaster Preparedness and Management.

During the visits, municipal officials and barangay heads of Julita, Leyte, and San Juan, Southern Leyte were given demonstrations of rescue equipment, toured BSA’s state-of-the-art 24-hour command center, and were lectured about the Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) programs which helped the barangay during calamities and even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are very happy to share our barangay’s best practices when it comes to disaster preparedness and management with other LGUs,” expressed BSA Chairman Raymond Lising, who led the imparting of the barangay’s best practices.

He added “we hope that they will be able to imitate our projects in order for them to be prepared and effectively manage disasters in their areas.”

Fifty-eight municipal officials of Julita, Leyte led by Mayor Percival Caña visited BSA last Sept. 15 to conduct benchmarking activities and learn from the barangay’s disaster preparedness and management initiatives.

“We are delighted by your endeavor on the outstanding performance of all stakeholders for the disaster and security programs, management, and preparations of your city by strengthening the core of community resilience,” Caña said in his letter to Lising.

“We are sure that this will be a great opportunity to us to learn about the field wherein you are contributing in much worth to its credibility,” he added.

On Sept. 27, officials from the Typhoon Odette-stricken town of San Juan, Southern Leyte led by Mayor Reynaldo Saludo also visited BSA to learn from the barangay’s expertise in preparing for and managing disasters such as typhoons.

“Recently, when Typhoon Odette devastated our land and the whole province of Southern Leyte last Dec. 12, 2022, millions or even billions of properties had been damaged particularly our houses near the shorelines, farms, livelihood and many more. We observed also that our capability in handling disaster is limited particularly our barangay officials,” Saludo told Lising.

“Your government unit (GU) has been recommended as one of the best places to visit with to share knowledge in disaster management and preparedness. Your LGU has been working systematically for many years and we are inspired by your work,” he continued.

The BSA chairman said he is honored to be at the helm of a “go-to barangay” when it comes to disaster preparedness and management.

“For the other LGUs that want to learn from us, all they have to do is coordinate with the barangay for us to set a date and give them a tour and teach them our ways of disaster preparedness and management,” he noted. (PNA)