In order to educate and prepare several Proponent Groups (PGs) to have business continuity in anticipation of natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) Bicol I-REAP team conducted a webinar on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP)on February 9-10, 2022.

During the webinar, DA-PRDP Project Support Office (PSO) South Luzon Enterprise Development and Marketing Specialist Gay Bañez oriented the participants on the natural, man-made, and technological types of disasters. She also discussed the 4 Pillars of Disaster Resiliency, which are disaster prevention and disaster mitigation, disaster preparedness, disaster response, and disaster rehabilitation and recovery.

The said webinar, divided into two (2) phases, was attended by the following PGs: Albay Small Ruminant Raisers, Masbate Integrated Goat Production and Marketing, and Sorsogon Abaca Fiber and Processing (Almacen) Enterprise for the first phase. The second phase was attended by the PGs from Pinoy Lingap Damayan Cooperative, Panganiban Fisherfolks Association Inc. (PFA), Association of Mushroom Grower in San Bernardo, Rural Improvement Club of San Francisco, Rural Improvement Club of San Francisco of Olandia and Samahan ng mga Magsasaka ng Organikong Panggugulayan (SMOP).

Participating PGs gathered and analyzed the hazards and vulnerabilities associated with agricultural production challenges, climatic trends, and cropping calendars to create feasible interventions that could address the risks and hazards that might affect the enterprise.

RPCO Bicol I-REAP Component Head Patrocinio Collao emphasized the need for disaster resilient subprojects to ensure that operations will continue.

“Ang ating mga proyekto ay dapat disaster resilient para magkaroon ng business continuity kahit na may dumaan na mga hazards and disasters. Dapat madali itong maka-adapt sa pabago-bagong panahon dahil ayaw naman nating magsara ang ating mga nasimulang proyekto,” Collao said.

The output of this training will be the basis of the proponent groups for the continuity of their enterprise subproject in case of any disaster and catastrophe. The RPCO Bicol I-REAP team will continue to monitor and follow up to ensure that it is adapted and practiced by the group. (Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

Participants of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) attentively participated in the virtual workshop conducted by the I-REAP team. (Screenshot Photo by: Angelica Peñano, DA-PRDP RPCO V I-REAP Component)

Project Support Office South Luzon Enterprise Development and Marketing Specialist Gay Bañez served as the speaker of the training to ensure that the enterprise subprojects are prepared during the times of disasters. (Screenshot Photo by: Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

I-REAP Component Head, Patrocinio Collao I gave his encouraging message to the members of the proponent groups from different enterprise subprojects during the virtual conduct of the Disaster Resilience and Business Continuity for MSMEs. (Screenshot Photo by: Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)