DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug 14 (PIA) — Some 54 parishes in eight vicariates of the Diocese of Dumaguete participated in a three-day trainers’ training on disaster preparedness in response to the growing concerns on climate change and natural disasters.

From August 12 to 14, the seminar-workshop aimed at institutionalizing disaster preparedness in the diocese through capacitating pool of trainers and resonate it to their respective churches or chapels.

The training is a continuation of the previous activity held February this year with about 100 clergy and parish pastoral leaders attended to set their roles in disaster risk reduction management.

Msgr. Merlin Logronio, convenor of St. Maria Goretti Foundation said this time the church would organize a structure or team which respond to the needs of the would be victims of calamities in a community.

“This is also to unite our pastoral program and changing the mindset in terms of behavior among the parishioners to be always prepared in times of disasters,” said Msgr. Logronio.

The more than 50 participants were composed of church leaders, officials from the local government units and barangays from the municipalities of Basay to Jimalalud and Siquijor province, the coverage of Diocese of Dumaguete.

Logronio said there is a need to collaborate with local government in other aspects of disaster response management.

However, priority is provided parishes in the northern part of Negros Oriental which were badly devastated by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in February 2012, said Msgr. Logronio.

Some of these parishes are in Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Mabinay, Mangganay and Paniabonan, among others.

The training underscores the importance of identifying the risks or hazards and threats and mitigating them appropriately.

The training was in cooperation with Smart Wireless Communications and Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) national with Dr, Cedric  Daep of Albay Public Safety & Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) as resource person. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)