Unity, strong leadership highlighted as key points of CAR resiliency

July 4, 2020 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY, July 2 (PIA) – The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) stressed on strong leadership and unity as key points of Cordillera resiliency as it launched July observance of National Disaster Resilience Month with a simple ceremony highlighted by a thanksgiving and multi – faith ecumenical prayers. CRDRRMC Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Albert Mogol outlined that for this year’s NDRM observance, the council adopts a localized theme, “Pagyamanin ang Pagkakaisa at Katatagan Laban sa
Pandemya” to highlight the need to sustain the region’s gains from the enhanced to the general and modified community quarantines (ECQ, GCQ, MGCQ) implemented, as the fight against COVID – 19 is far from over.
For the region’s strength in the fight against the COVID pandemic, Mogol gave credit to the unique culture and indigenous practices that the Cordillerans have been known for, as well as the kind of leadership that focus more on the protection of lives and properties especially during the time of crisis.
Baguio City with their effective infection control and preventive measures, and Sadanga in Mountain Province with their utilization of indigenous ways and cultural practices in dealing with the COVID pandemic, are both recognized as among the best examples of Cordillera resiliency, Mogol said.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in his keynote message, stressed that what the country needs now in addressing the COVID pandemic is strong and genuine leadership. ”Let me urge our leaders who are present here today to concentrate on the leadership path that includes crisis management, organizational development, conflict resolution, transparency and accountability, competency, action – oriented and for looking at things with sense of urgency”, Magalong said.
Baguio’s contact-tracing system that harmonizes collaboration, coordination, cooperation, and communication and Magalong’s hands-on approach have slowed down the spread of COVID- 19 in the city.
Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan who was also invited to share their municipality’s best practices on dealing with COVID – 19, pointed out that strong leadership and partnership with the people in the community, guided by their cultural practices and indigenous ways bound them to a shared responsibility strategy wherein everyone look after each other in this trying times.
With the inherent culture among the Sadanga people where the better- off members of the community would share their rice to the their townmates so that no one would go hungry during hard times, Ganggangan waived the town’s share of food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development in favour of those more needy families in urban areas that are affected by the lockdown due to the threat of COVID.
The NDRM launching was a pre – activity for the regular weekly CRDRMMC and Regional Task Force COVID – 19 Joint Coordination Meeting at the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office here.
(JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)