Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Disaster Risk Reduction

May I share with you my message to the participants read during the closing program of the Community Based Disaster Management Training held in Sampaguita Garden, New Washington, Aklan on June 20 – 25, 2011.

Good morning!

Please accept my sincere congratulations for having been selected participants to this five-day Community-Based Disaster Management Exercise. I believed you are now well prepared for any disaster that might befall your barangays.

Indeed, you are very lucky to have been selected to participate in this exercise in order to: 1. well adapt yourselves to any climate change, 2. to provide first aid to victims of disaster, and 3. to conduct a vulnerability and capacity assessment.

Let us extend thank you and salute the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Aklan Chapter for holding this training in order to reduce risk in any disaster.

Let us also give thanks to the Finnish Red Cross for its generosity to fund this training we are about to close. But, this will not be the last, for the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Aklan Chapter will have several activities more to follow designed to reduce the risks of disaster.

There are more activities to follow like blood collection and distribution.

The three (3) barangays of Bakhaw Sur, Bakhaw Norte, and Mobo in Kalibo, and two barangays of Aliputos and Bulwang in Numancia are very lucky to have been selected the project sites of this bilateral project called "Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction" of the PRC and the FRC.

This is a two year project geared to improve the capacity of targeted communities and institutions to better prepare for and reduce disaster risks.

To realize its obligations, the FRC will provide fund for the project of Euros 90,000 or (about P5.85 million at 1x65). It will also support in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the project through short term visits. The PRC is responsible for the cost effective project implementation.

My dear participants, everybody is expecting you all to be disaster expert managers. With you, your communities, and your people will become more aware of risks, hazards and vulnerabilities, and are enabled to identify the best measures to mitigate these risks. You are expected to increase the security of your people and to minimize risk anytime disaster occurs.

My dear graduates of this security exercise to mitigate risk, are we assured that at the end of the day, can we close our eyes, sleep soundly, and wake up safe and sound the next day? My answer is Yes. How about yours? Yes, or this training will be in vain.

Congratulations! I extend you all happy days ahead!

Reckless Driver

On Friday, at about 9:00 o’clock in the morning, June 17, a van with plate number FWN-129 was running so fast towards Kalibo.

It traveled about 65 kilometers per hour along the road in Poblacion, Numancia but it almost collided head on with other vehicles heading for Makato. But disaster was prevented as drivers heading to the western part of Aklan just slowed down and stopped by the roadside to give way to the speedy and reckless driver.

This behavior will justify approval of Aklan SP Resolution No. 2011-144 asking LTO, the police, and DPWH to strictly enforce the law on speed limits of motor vehicles on the road. The resolution is sponsored by Hon. Victor Manuel M. Garcia aim to avoid vehicular accidents. /MP