The communities’ effective role as learning agent lies at the core of every effective DRR endeavor. Once learning transpires, communities can move forward to further their own development. Collective learning of disaster risks will prompt them to be proactive in arriving at risk reduction measures.

In line with this, the government efforts to educate and enhance the people on DRRM, a follow-through or enhancement of the BERT training for three (3) days which shall be conducted, targeting the existing/new BERT members municipal-wide that are willing to be trained mentally, physically and skillfully in responding before, during and after the occurrence of disasters. More DRRM skills training must be pursued so that lives can be protected and damage to properties and infrastructures can be minimized. Moreover, the BERT members can also assist in monitoring and surveillance of lawless elements in the barangays. To be more effective BERT members, sufficient training should be provided for them to be more skillful and capable in carrying out their tasks, hence, this proposed enhancement training.

The activity involves the conduct of a 5–day training to enhance the capability and skills of the Barangay Emergency Response Team (BERT) members on disaster risk reduction and management approaches with integration of rover scouting emergency operation tools and techniques with a theme “Laging Handa sa Anumang Sakuna”. This will be attended by Four hundred sixty-eight (330) BERT members from 33 barangays.

A combination of lecture-presentation-discussion, practical-workshop and simulation drills will be conducted to achieve the 5-day activity. These will provide the BERT-participants with concrete knowledge and practical skills to be effective in their tasks as first responders right in their communities.