BACOLOD City – Mayor Irene Montilla of Isabela, Negros Occidental plans to replicate this capital city’s Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) in her locality.
Montilla recently visited the EOC-TF command center at the MassKara Hall of the New Government Center to observe its actual emergency response activities for benchmarking.
The municipal mayor was accompanied by Municipal Health Officer Dr. Rama Espinosa; department heads of Isabela’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Accounting and Budget Office; other municipal officials, and barangay captains.
During their visit, Montilla met with Inter-Agency Task Force Visayas’ chief implementer retired Major General Mel Feliciano and City Administrator Em Ang, who is also the executive director of the EOC.
Both Feliciano and Ang welcomed the idea of EOC’s replication in other local government units.
“The important thing is it should be centralized. There should only be one control. Everything will be handled by the emergency operation center,” said Feliciano, who is expecting more local chief executives to pay Bacolod’s EOC a visit.
The EOC-TF was institutionalized upon Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s issuance of Executive Order No. 59 on Sept. 3.
The task force was created for the synchronization and harmonization of data and activities geared towards containing the spread of COVID-19 disease.
According to Ang, Montilla is eyeing to replicate the EOC “but on a smaller scale since [Isabela] is also small.”
“It’s good to know that other LGUs are looking forward to replicate our COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center. We would be happy to share our best practices with them,” Ang added.
Montilla expressed her gratitude to Feliciano, his wife Mia, and the rest of the Bacolod EOC-TF staff for their hospitality and accommodation during the visit.
“We learned so much and are grateful for the firsthand experience that your huddle taught us. Thank you very much!” said Montilla. (With a report from Bacolod City PIO/PN)
