The Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC), a non-profit organization advocating community-based disaster management, is pushing for a comprehensive disaster management in the Philippines.

“Relief delivery is only one aspect of disaster risk management, but equally more important are disaster preparedness and rehabilitation,” said Carlos Padolina, Deputy Executive Director of CDRC during a relief delivery operation Sunday for the families affected by Tropical Storm Ondoy in Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City.

CDRC gave relief goods to 500 families in Brgy Tatalon, and conducted free play, feeding and arts workshop for children, and psychosocial therapy and acupuncture for the affected families as part of its comprehensive approach to disaster management.

“CDRC is not only giving-out relief, but also helping communities become more resilient in the face of disasters that are becoming more and more complicated by the day,” Bernadette Aquino, Chairperson of the CDRC Board of Trustees said.

Aquino added that for 25 years, CDRC has been conducting trainings on disaster preparedness and putting up disaster preparedness committees (DPC) all over the country to minimize, if not to eradicate, the adverse impact of extreme events.

“After our relief delivery operations, we will move on to the rehabilitation phase, and help the community get back on its feet,” said Padolina. “Relief goods are only good for a few days, but we want something that will last in the long term.”

Padolina and Aquino mentioned poverty alleviation projects, environmental preservation programs and disaster preparedness trainings as only some of the programs that will help the community become more resilient in the face of disasters. #