July 18, 2024 – The Regional Development Council (RDC), Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) gathered for their joint meeting to discuss regional security concerns and to tackle certain gaps and deficiencies that needs to be understood and addressed today at L’Fisher Hotel, Bacolod City.

Led by RDC-VI Chairperson Hon. Albee Benitez, together with National Security Council Assistant Director-General for Operations ADG Ma. Carmina B. Acuña, RDRRMC VI Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense VI Regional Director Dir. Raul E. Fernandez, and various sectors such as the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, DA VI, DOE Visayas Field Office, DICT VI, OCD VI, NBI, DHSUD, and PAGASA.

During his opening message, Mayor Albee Benitez emphasized that the joint meeting is designed to strengthen the level of preparedness of regional security, to understand and identify the gaps and deficiencies that needs to be addressed, and to be better prepared and provide immediate response in times of disaster.

Additionally, numerous agendas were discussed such as the Presentation of the National Security Policy 2023-2028 and Draft National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024, Developing a Unified Approach to Regional Security that will encompass Peace, Food Security, Energy Security, and other critical needs, and the Preparation of Agency, and LGU Public Service Continuity Plans (PSCP).

Lastly, updates regarding the Mt. Kanlaon Eruption that happened last June 3, 2024 and affected a number of 9,119 families or 28,017 persons in 18 barangays all over Negros Occidental were presented by the Office of Civil Defense-VI such as the provision of food and water, coordination of various government sectors to provide for the needs of the affected areas, and the deployment of the Mt. Kanlaon Regional Incident Management Team (RIMT) to ensure the safety of responders and the general public and to monitor the distribution of potable water supply.
(Source: Bacolod City Public Information Office)