Capitol to insure responders

CEBU, Philippines — Around eight hundred emergency responders from across Cebu Province will be enrolled in an insurance program.

This is what Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Head Baltazar Tribunalo shared to reporters after the Capitol signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on January 16.

Red Cross Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla remarked that it is by far the “first” and the “biggest” partnership with a local government unit on gathering and ensuring volunteer responders.

In a press release, the Cebu provincial government will be enrolling some of its personnel to become registered Red Cross 143 volunteers.

“To ensure protection, volunteers will be covered with the Membership Accident Insurance Benefits of the Philippine Red Cross,” it stated.

In the signed MOA, the Capitol will be providing the venue for the orientation of volunteers on the terms and condition of the Membership with Accident Assistance Benefit (MAAB). The date is yet to be set according to Tribunalo.

“Naa tay mga responders diri nga wala pa na-insure. By law, allowed man gamiton ang PDRRM fund na magamit sa insurance,” he said. (We have responders who are not insured.  By law, we are allowed to use the PDRRM fund for their insurance.)

An amount of P3 million is set aside by Capitol through the PDRRMO.

“We will get the highest possible premium (insurance) from the Red Cross. It will show a dignified responder. It's care for the carers,” Baltazar remarked.

Meanwhile, Zavalla said that this is a new milestone in the field of emergency response.

“This is important for the PRC because this means attaining our objective of being able to train so many people because the name of the game is resiliency,” she said. — MBG (FREEMAN)