ILOILO City – Disaster preparedness is taking center stage here as the local government launches the first-ever KABALAKA Expo 2025, a two-day showcase of knowledge, skills, and innovations designed to prove the city’s capacity to withstand calamities and climate-related risks.
The event, set on Aug. 29 to 30 in partnership with the Office of the Civil Defense Western Visayas (OCD-6) and various resilience partners, will highlight how government, schools, and communities are gearing up to respond to emergencies.
“One of the things that we really want to showcase is how prepared we are, not only the Iloilo City government but other stakeholders, the school, the academe. DRRM is everybody’s business,” stressed Atty. Melissa Banias, OCD-6 operations section head.
Darwin Joemil Papa, head of the Quick Response Division of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), explained that the expo was originally scheduled in July for the National Disaster Resilience Month but had to be moved due to unfavorable weather conditions.
The expo will feature interactive exhibits, response assets demonstrations, creative resilience activities, and a series of “K-talks”—short 10 to 15-minute sessions tackling disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).
Papa noted, “One of the highlights of the event will be a round of 10 to 15-minute talks or K-talk where they will have impactful briefings on DRRM.”
Banias added that through the expo, the public can see firsthand that Iloilo City has the equipment, capacity, and materials to deal with disasters. She also expressed hope that the event becomes a yearly tradition.
KABALAKA, which stands for KAhublagan sa BArangay para sa LApnagon nga KAhandaan sa KAlamidad, remains Iloilo City’s flagship program for community-based preparedness, resource mobilization, and volunteerism against disasters and climate impacts./PN