Piktaw: From Survivors to Advocates

Is there really a need to further capacitate key stakeholders in the municipalities of

Giporlos, Quinapondan, and Salcedo, Eastern Samar?

After typhoon Haiyan ravaged the whole of Eastern Visayas, various non-governmentorganizations (NGOs) initiated a multitude of capacity-building activities to address the gaps in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM). Ranging from contingency planning up to search and rescue operations, almost, if not all, offices in the three municipalities gained basic knowledge in DRRM and climate change adaptation (CCA). Agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) even piloted flood and storm surge drills in the three municipalities, which clearly manifest their existing capacity to lead in times of disasters. Already, head of offices (DRRM officers included)

have the capacity to roll out trainings to communities. If only they can do it all by themselves.

Evidently, there are many individuals inside the local government and even in schools and communities who possess the potential to impart the skills in preparedness, prevention and mitigation, response, and recovery and rehabilitation if adequately trained and equipped with standard skills required by government agencies on DRRM. These individuals can even become advocates of community-based DRRM.

Thus, the Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) and Oxfam organized “PIKTAW, ESTEHANON Community-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CBDRRM) Training of Trainers” to synergize the efforts to local government units, schools, and communities in CBDRRM though a skills enhancement training. The ultimate goal of PIKTAW is for the stakeholders, duty-bearers, and rights holders to become advocates of CBDRRM and become active agents of change in their respective municipalities by empowering their constituents to help them help themselves.

Last April 25-29, 2016, about forty (40) representatives from Giporlos, Quinapondan, and Salcedo, Eastern Samar from various local government offices, schools, and communities devoted their time to enhance their skills in the training of trainers. Adopting the Basic Instructors Guide (BIG) module of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), the 5-day intensive course on teaching CBDRRM provided a change of framework to participants who have attended varying levels of training on CBDRRM.