Kalinga Social workers train on camp management of evacuation centres to ready for disasters

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Kalinga, being one of the provinces in the region to have experienced various disasters, social workers were equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to efficiently supervise evacuation centers during calamities.

This August 17, 2021, a three-day training on Camp Coordination and Camp Management was held in Tabuk City spearheaded by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development of Kalinga in coordination with the Philippine Association of Social Workers-Kalinga Chapter.

The training was attended by the municipal and city social development officers in the province.

In an interview with Judith Puday, focal person for disaster risk and management of the PSWD office, the training, she said, intends to capacitate the social workers in Kalinga being in the frontline when disaster strikes.

She said that as camp managers, they must be able to efficiently handle situations concerning the evacuees, especially those belonging to the vulnerable group, to prevent possible problems and manage issues that may arise when evacuation procedures are implemented.

Social workers, she related, are the lead group for the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) which is one of the clusters of disaster and emergency response.

“Maiwasan dagituy problems and other issues inside evacuation centers particularly dagituy protection list. Isaalang-alang dagituy safe spaces for women, our children and internally displaced person safe inside evacuation,” Puday said.

“Idiay ngamin, at the same time, i-mobilize da metlang dagiti community, particularly dagituy IDPs wennu internally displaced persons tayu,” she added.

Likewise, the training will also provide an opportunity for the social workers to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units, one of the requirements for the renewal of their license as social workers.

Who are internally displaced persons?

The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement defines internally displaced persons as "persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized border."

What will the social workers learn during the training?

When asked what will be learned and the kind of skills the participants shall be equipped with from the said training, Puday cited that the social workers will be oriented toward Child Emergency Relief and Protection Act. This, she said, is a high priority, as children have the rights to be secured during calamities, ensuring their safety.

She added that participants will also be given talks and be trained on the Core Humanitarian Principles and Standards for CCCM and IDP Protection, Phases of Evacuation and Evacuation Facilities and Services, Roles and Responsibilities of the Key Actors in CCM, Information Management, and Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) reporting and simulation.

They will also be taught proper reporting, referral system and grievance mechanism, and activities, strategies, and shelter during the early recovery phase.

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