ILOILO City – Despite many barangays in Iloilo Province still lacking their own rescue and emergency response equipment, the provincial government assured that all 1,721 barangays remain prepared to respond to disasters through a coordinated support system involving municipal governments, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), and other government agencies.
The assurance comes as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasts nine to 13 tropical cyclones entering or forming within the Philippine Area of Responsibility from July to December 2026, while also warning of the possible onset of the El Niño phenomenon.
The readiness of Iloilo’s barangays has been placed under scrutiny, particularly whether villages possess sufficient equipment to respond to floods, landslides, and other disasters.
Provincial DRRMO head Cornelio Salinas admitted that not all barangays have their own response equipment because of budget limitations, with many relying on their respective Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MDRRMOs) and the provincial government for assistance.
Salinas explained that during disasters, MDRRMOs augment barangay response operations and, when necessary, request additional assistance from the provincial government headed by Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., which deploys rescuers and emergency responders to affected areas.
The governor also regularly allocates funds to acquire rescue assets such as lifeboats, rubber boats, and response vehicles, particularly for local government units with coastal communities and areas identified as flood- and landslide-prone.
According to Salinas, requiring every barangay to purchase its own rescue equipment is unrealistic because many villages have limited Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), making inter-government cooperation essential during emergencies.
To strengthen disaster preparedness, the provincial government has established 10 resilience hubs in strategic municipalities across Iloilo. These hubs are equipped with response assets, including handheld radios, rubber boats, and rescue boats, to shorten emergency response time during calamities.
Despite existing challenges, Salinas maintained that all 1,721 barangays are disaster-ready because they can rely on the combined resources of MDRRMOs, the PDRRMO, concerned national government agencies, and other stakeholders.
He said this coordinated system has already proven effective during major disasters brought by typhoons such as Yolanda, Frank, Odette, and Tino, where government agencies worked together in responding to emergencies.
Salinas emphasized that disaster management requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, with barangay, municipal, and provincial governments working alongside communities to minimize disaster risks.
He also underscored the importance of public cooperation by complying with local government directives, including preemptive evacuation orders during typhoons and avoiding the construction of houses along riverbanks and coastlines.
“So, those are the things nga naga-compound sang aton problema nga despite sang early warnings nga set-up, still wala nasunod sang aton mga pumoluyo because sang livelihood. There are a lot of societal issues kon ngaa ang aton mga pumoluyo ara naga-stay sa hazard prone areas,” Salinas said./PN
