ORMOC CITY- Media practitioners attended a seminar on disaster risk emergency preparedness spearheaded by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) which aims to better equip them when a disaster strikes in their areas and not just a mere “story tellers.”
Ted Esguerra of the EDC who was also a member of the first Mt. Everest Philippine Team, said that the seminar is intended for the media practitioners not only to have awareness but more specially be prepared on what should be done before and after a disaster happened on their respective areas.
The seminar, held on June 26, was attended by members of the media from Tacloban and Ormoc cities. When super typhoon Yolanda hit on November 8, 2013, almost all media practitioners from these cities failed for a time to work being victims of the disaster themselves.
Esguerra also added that media men should have this knowledge, since they are always the first in line to come during a disaster. He also emphasized that media should not only take stories but at the same time should also be a rescuer.
“When you try to value life, you value everything, you value the culture, you value the environment and you value humanity, so it’s not only how to do CPR, try to educate, and try to fire your gun but it has something to do with honouring the environment,” he said in an interview.
The seminar was also attended by the EDC’s vice president for corporate affairs, John Arnaldo who stated that they have started the seminar for local media who have experienced the super typhoon Yolanda and still in recovery so that they would now be better prepared for a possible next disaster.
EDC will also conduct seminars to the local government units and partner communities in the province for the coming months on the same topic. (KAYE ANNE ORALLER, LNU Intern)
