To communicate the results of the Vulnerability and Risk Assessment being done by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau so that local planners and decision makers could make optimum use of the data generated from the National Geohazard Mapping and Assessment Program, municipal and city LGUs are being provided with a 2-day Seminar-Training on Vulnerability and Risk Assessment by the Geosciences Division of MGB-ROV. This is in support of the government’s efforts of strengthening the adaptive capacities of communities through risk and resiliency programs,
On the request of the Provincial Government of Albay, through the Provincial Human Settlements Office, a similar training was provided for twenty (20) officials of the provincial government. The 3-day Seminar-Training on Geohazards, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment was undertaken last 19 to 21 September 2018 at the Governor’s Blue Conference Room, Albay Provincial Capitol Building, Legazpi City. Officials from the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), the Provincial Human Settlements Office (APHSO), the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Provincial Assessor’s Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the Provincial Engineering Office, the Provincial Agriculture Service participated in the training.
Since the activity was aimed at capacitating the different departments that comprise the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on how to undertake Vulnerability and Risk Assessment for use in the preparation of provincial plans such as the Provincial Physical Framework Plan and the Local DRRM Plan, the training started with lectures on introduction to geologic hazards and their effects, the geohazards present in the province of Albay and the geohazard maps produced by MGB-ROV for the province. The lectures progressively moved to exposure mapping of elements at risk, assessment of vulnerabilities of these exposed elements and finally, to risk assessment. The difference between hazards, vulnerabilities and risks was emphasized.
The second and third day were devoted for hands-on exercises on the basic operations of a Geographic Information System (GIS), particularly QGIS. Data sets generated by MGB-ROV were used in the exercises. The hands-on exercises included basic operations of a GIS, particularly QGIS, as this is the software recommended by DILG for use by the LGUs in the CLUP preparation. The participants were requested to bring their office computers for use in the hands-on exercises.