Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office

April 26, 2017

-Aris Ordonez

Sorsogon Province is the last province in the south side of Luzon Island. It is part of the Bicol Region which is prone to different forms of natural disasters. The region is a constantly visited by super typhoons formed in the Pacific Ocean. It is also surrounded by active volcanoes that from time to time bring devastation to the region. Flash floods and landslides are also common calamities that bring havoc to the place.

These natural phenomenon can no longer be prevented and eventually became part of the lives of the thousands of residents of Sorsogon. Resiliency became inherent to all Sorsoganons.

The Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is the authorized government agency of the province to provide needed response in times of calamities and disasters. The agency also has the mandate to create policies and innovation that may provide risk reduction it times of needs. The management of such is also among its concern.

Technology could provide a major role in helping the agency realize its goals and may also be an instrument for speedy implementation of its mandates, risk reduction, disaster management, rescue operation, quick response, and preventive measures.

The agency is under the wings of Office of Civil Defense, PAGASA, DOST, NDRRMC, and other government agencies that monitor calamities, conduct preventive operations, and institutionalizing policies that could provide safety to the Filipinos in times of disaster. With the technology that comes along with it, the SPDRRMO is well provided the much needed help at least at the perspective of the national government. However, there are local needs that requires attention and support that were overlooked by the National Agencies but are considered significant in the provincial level. Technology could of great help but its implementation required customization.

Being a Doctor in Information Technology student of the Technological Institute of the Philippines, we are required to conduct researches that may be of help to the society as a contribution to the existing body of knowledge which could serve as basis for future development. These researches could also provide direct impact in the society if the output can provide significant help or improvement in the lives of people.

For my immersion in DIT of TIP, I considered conducting it in the SPDRRMO of Sorsogon Province. I believe i can be of service to the agency if I will be able to come out with a research which could be a basis for the development of technologies that can provide significant change, convenience, or improvement in the lives of the Sorsoganons during disasters.

I spent my first few days in the agency talking with some of the officers in-charge of the operation of the office. Mr. Dulci Espinola discussed with me how the agency operates. He will also be my mentor during my immersion in their office. He discussed to me the mandate of the office and how it works under the watch of the Provincial Government of Sorsogon and other agencies like NDRRMC and OCD.

I happen to talk also with Mr. Michael Tayam, the one in-charge of the technical operations of the office specially the use of technology in the conduct of its operations. He showed me the different systems used by the SPDRRMO that provided them capacity to conduct effective and efficient rescue and quick response operations. Most of these are provided to them by the National Government either by the NDRRMC or the PAGASA and DOST.

For the succeeding days, I will be staying in this agency for my immersion looking for some ways that a possible intervention of technology could provide significant improvement in the conduct of the operation of the SPDRRMO. - Aris J. Ordonez