Davao — The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) officially launched National Disaster Resilience Month 2026 on July 1, gathering key leaders from across the city’s 182 barangays. The kick-off event, held as a citywide town hall session, brought together barangay captains, secretaries, SK chairpersons, and disaster focal persons to synchronize strategies for disaster risk reduction. By focusing on grassroots-level preparedness, the session aimed to ensure that every community is fully equipped to handle emergency scenarios through a unified, government-backed approach to safety and prevention.
Strengthening the Grassroots Response
The town hall served as a vital venue to reiterate the critical importance of disaster preparedness at the local level. CDRRMO Head Alfredo Baloran emphasized that the office is moving to further decentralize response capabilities by organizing and training volunteer groups within each purok. By establishing these dedicated volunteer units, the city aims to ensure that life-saving actions can be taken immediately, even before centralized rescue teams arrive. The forum also covered technical aspects of governance, including the proper utilization of barangay disaster funds and the implementation of essential DRRM circulars to ensure that every peso spent contributes directly to community safety.
A Unified Vision for a Resilient Future
In a message delivered on his behalf by City Councilor Alberto Ungab, Mayor Sebastian Duterte highlighted that the city’s resilience is built on the foundation of active collaboration between the local government and its constituents. The Mayor underscored that disaster risk reduction is not a seasonal task but a continuous commitment to creating a "disaster-resilient Davao City" through comprehensive planning and community-based prevention measures. As the month-long observance continues, the CDRRMO has scheduled a series of activities—ranging from specialized training sessions and blood donation drives to tree-planting events—designed to keep public safety at the forefront of the city's agenda. These initiatives invite all Dabawenyos to take a proactive role in building a safer, more secure future for the entire region.
