After downsizing, PDRRMO Chief asks Gwen for 14 more personnel

At least 14 more personnel are needed at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to ensure a round-the-clock monitoring of disaster occurrences like Typhoon Ursula that hit northern Cebu on Christmas eve. | Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Medellin Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is eyeing to augment their manpower with at least 14 additional personnel to ensure a round-the-clock operation of their office.

Neil Sanchez, PDRRMO head, said in an interview on Thursday morning, January 23, 2020, that he already consulted with the Provincial Budget Office (PDO) and the Human Resources Department (HRD) to compare his request with number of personnel allowed under their 2020 office budget and the HR allocation.

“When I checked (with) HR, (I was told that) we are allowed to have six casual employees and I think 14 outsourced personnel,”Sanchez said.

Read: Gwen reorganizes Capitol, some departments may be downgraded

If his request for 14 additional personnel is disapproved, Sanchez said he was willing to settle for 10 more men.

Sanchez said he has drafted 14 individuals, who were previously employed with the PDRRMO when he first led the office for about two years starting on the last quarter of 2012. These people were trained for disaster management and response then.

He said that the 14 individuals were earlier employed as casual and job order employees , but their contracts were no longer renewed.

Pending approval from the Office of the Governor, Sanchez said the 14 disaster personnel have already started to render voluntary service to the PDRRMO.

READ: Gwen eyes P186 million annual savings with planned downgrading of four department

“When I reengaged here and responded for [Typhoons] Tisoy and Ursula, these are the people who went with me,” Sanchez said.

Upon Sanchez’ reassumption as PDRRMO chief in November 2019, the office only had nine personnel as a result of the downgrading of the office from a separate department to a component division of the Governor’s Office.

The downgrading of the PDRRMO and three other Capitol offices into divisions was part of the cost-cutting measures which  Garcia introduced shortly after she assumed the Office of the Governor in July 2019. / dcb