Rapid damage and needs analysis training held for DRRMC members

ACCURATE identification and assessment of the needs of the people or communities to become disaster- resilient and on damages and the needed services when a disaster hits a certain community is vital in effective disaster reduction and management.

With this and in observance of Disaster Resilience Month, the Office of Civil Defense conducted a Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) for the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council members and representatives from provincial DRRM offices.

The three – day training held at the City Lights Hotel was intended to strengthen the capacity of the DRMMC members in delivering accurate and timely assessment report before, during and after an impending disaster such as strong tropical cyclone.

The training course included modules on RDANA basic principles; concept of operations with exercise; mobilization; methodologies and preparations as well as simulation exercises and reporting of outputs.

OCD- CAR Operations chief Diane Rojas outlined the main mission of the RDANA is to assess where the CRDRRMC can be able to provide immediate feed and report on the needs of disaster affected

people.

Rojas shared conducting disaster damage and needs assessment is always a challenge in Cordillera given the mountainous terrain that is prone to landslides that can lead to road closures and isolation of communities.

It is also multidisciplinary because the needs of affected persons or communities can vary from damage infrastructures or agricultural livelihood or social or health needs, among others. This is why the RDANA team should be composed of personnel from different government agencies who deal with specific field of expertise, she said.