• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (BCDRRMO) is proposed to be transformed into a full-fledged department.
An ordinance sponsored by Councilor Atty. Caesar Distrito proposes the elevation of the CDRRMO to a full department, aiming to expand the organizational structure and staffing of the office, enhance its operational capacity, and align it with national standards.
“With Bacolod’s growing population and vulnerability to natural disasters, it’s crucial that we institutionalize a stronger, better-equipped, and fully staffed DRRM Department that can respond swiftly and efficiently to emergencies,” Distrito said in a statement.
The measure establishes the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (BCDRRMD) and outlines clearly the three divisions, which are administration and training, research and planning, and operations and warning.
It also creates new plantilla positions, including a City Government Department Head, to ensure professionalized and permanent leadership in disaster management.
“This is a forward-looking investment in the safety and resilience of our people. A dedicated DRRM Department will improve response times, coordination, and planning,” said Councilor Celia Flor, who also co-authored the ordinance.
Councilor Em Ang also highlighted the need for a stronger structure in anticipation of more frequent climate-related hazards.
“We must act now to build a system that is both responsive and anticipatory. This ordinance brings us closer to that goal,” Ang added.
The proposed ordinance also aligns with RA 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and supports Bacolod’s vision of becoming a disaster-resilient city.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod is expected to deliberate on the measure in its upcoming sessions.*
