The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as vice chairperson on disaster preparedness launched ”Operation LISTO: Tamang Paghahanda, Tamang Aksiyon”. This was conceptualized through the Local Government Academy, as a mechanism to lessen the impact of foreseen disaster on the lives and properties of the people.
To operationalize project LISTO in Region V, a regional launching and orientation on project LISTO was held on February 27, 2015 at Ninong’s Hotel, Legazpi City. The event was attended by the DILG provincial directors, cluster heads and representatives from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) from the six provinces of the region. Members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) and partners from the local media also attended the event.
The launching was highlighted by the discussion and presentation of the mechanics of Project Listo by Director Thelma Vecina of the Local Government Academy. Her discussion focused on the rationale of the LGU Disaster Preparedness Manual and the objectives of the Checklist. The participants were given a copy of the said Manual which contains a checklist of early preparations for Local Chief Executives that will guide then in organizing their appropriate responses, before, during and after a calamity, especially those prone to disasters. These manuals will be distributed to all LCEs during the conduct of provincial convergence.
Since Project Listo will be rolled out in the six provinces of the region, Director Vecina also discussed the roll-out strategies for the provincial convergence focusing on the roles of the different stakeholders and the implementation timelines of the various activities to be conducted within the 2nd quarter of the year. An open forum was held to address the issues raised by some of the participants.
The participants expressed their support to the objectives of Project Listo by affixing their signature into the Pledge of Commitment. They also submitted their workshop output on the schedule of activities for the operationalization of project LISTO in the provinces.
Director Elouisa T. Pastor, DILG OIC-Regional Director formally thanked and welcomed all the participants during the launching. She said that Project Listo demonstrates the Department’s proactive role in coming up with a set of interventions to ensure preparedness of local communities in times of disaster. She further said that the Disaster Preparedness Manual is a product of a series of consultations and researches on historical data and experiences from the past disasters that hit the country.