According to Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Camiguin Island represents the "gold standard" in disaster preparedness.
“I told my staff to make sure that the province of Camiguin will be officially recognized as the benchmark on how other provinces must do preparations and response,” Nepomuceno said
Camiguin as disaster preparedness model
Nepomuceno urged other provinces to follow Camiguin's example when modeling their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) systems.
“From picking up trash to preparations for volcanic eruptions and typhoons, this is entirely a difficult job. The Camiguin province is one good example – the gold standard on how things should be done properly,” he said.
Nepomuceno, alongside Camiguin officials and DRRM council representatives, visited Northern Mindanao to observe the earthquake drill and highlight the province's achievements.
Handling unpredictable instances
Because Camiguin is a volcanic island in Mindanao, tsunamis are a serious issue for the province.
Nepumuceno asserts that the provinces' preparedness and ability to deal with these devastating disasters must be improved, beyond just Camiguin.
“I am happy with what I saw here in Camiguin. We’ve gone around the country, and Camiguin is one of the best, at least in terms of the thinking and attitude of both the government leaders and the residents,” he said.
