COTABATO CITY – Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) led Wednesday, May 11, an orientation and seminar on emergency disaster control program for its employees, including public and private sectors workers from this city and Maguindanao province.
The activity was conducted to help the participants prevent accidents and minimize the occurrence of disasters, as well as prepare them in enduring the impact of emergencies, disasters and crises, and establish preparedness programs.
“We must protect our workers from injury, sickness, and death to prevent loss and damage to properties. We must see to it and ensure that our workplace is safe and in a healthy working condition,” said MOLE Minister Muslimin Sema in his message delivered by MOLE Chief Technical Consultant Engr. Dong Anayatin.
“Let us establish Emergency Disaster and Crisis Preparedness Program for our employees. After this seminar, I would like to see that disaster and crisis management team shall have been organized and constituted,” Sema said.
During the orientation, Jihada Karon Maisalat, who represented the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi), demonstrated emergency drills on how to properly respond to emergencies and disaster crises.
Meanwhile, Alonto Sambilan, CEO of ABS Safety Management Training Center said the seminar “will help the private and public sectors as we cannot avoid disasters and emergencies, and we learn more about responding to emergency situations”.
A private employee from this city, Mary Jane Laranjo, thanked the ministry for conducting the orientation and seminar. “Malaking tulong ang natutunan ko ngayong araw dahil magagamit naming ito sa larangan ng trabaho maging sa aming mga tahanan kung may mga sakuna kagaya ng lindol. Binigyan kami ng mga kung paano maiiwasan ang kapahamakan,” Laranjo said.
MOLE Senior Labor Employment Officer Jasmine Alawi emphasized that “risk reduction management system, a crisis management plan, and contingency program in an emergency situation within the agency must be established.”
This also includes training and drills on disaster risk reduction management and emergency supplies like fire extinguishers, medical first aid kits which are needed to be available all the time.
Wednesday’s activity was initiated in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121 – The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, and Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01 s. of 2020 of the Civil Service Commission, Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). (Johaira B. Sahidala/BIO)
