Creative Executive Summary

Welcome to Enchanting Palo! A little more than 73,000 population of Palo of survivors visited by various natural events. Almost 100% of health infrastructures and health service delivery was put to a lull. Malnutrition prevalence rate which has quite gone up to 19% last 2014, a year after Super Typhoon Yolanda but has lowered to 12 % to date. We have prepared for any emergency but it was overwhelmed. Around 17,353 households had survived its onslaught and the same number gradually has regained strength as Filipino spirit of bayanihan forged local cooperation as foreign assistance poured in in order to speed up recovery and reconstruction. Indeed, emergency is manageable and disaster is preventable.

Hence, the urgent need of preparedness and mitigation over quick response for any event is of utmost importance and this Health Emergency Preparedness Response and Recovery Plan as the product of evidenced-based planning on resiliency of health system as part and parcel of the municipal disaster risk reduction management. The Local Government Unit of Palo has crafted it according to the 7 sturdy building blocks of WHO health system with their corresponding doable strategies. It is likened to a house and its parts are as follows:

The Durable Roof of Leadership and Governance exemplified by a canopy of strategies like signing of agreements among local pharmacies, food establishments like bakeries, groceries and rice dealers to supply medicines, food and other necessary services. The necessity of forging internal and external health human resources as strengthened by the Service Delivery Network (SDN). Establishment of a permanent structure that will serve as the Emergency Operation Center has been planned out.Building Competency thru WaSH in Emergency through training of municipal WaSH task force and barangay WaSH volunteers. Part of this building block is the establishment Mental Health Psychosocial Support team in the workplace and regular annual team-building activities in municipal and barangay-level to forge stronger working relationship and cooperation. Backed up by policies, the sustainability of Palo Protecting the Protectors Program (4Ps) will be ensured to incentivize disaster response teams and other LGU employees who consistently volunteers for quick response. It would be in the form of monetary and non-monetary incentives. Training of Municipal Nutrition Action Officer and the barangay volunteers on Nutrition in Emergency as a capacity building to them will cascade to capacitate the mothers and carers of children in every household to combat the malnutrition.

The Tough Floor of Health WorkforceInventory of barangay DRR advocates and ambassadors and organize them into

support teams per cluster i.e. community-based health service delivery, WaSH, Nutrition and MHPSS will be the prime movers of culture of resiliency in the communities and the eventual household emergency preparedness. Basic Life Support and First Aid Training among municipal and barangay volunteers toward enhancement of Health Emergency management system (HEMS) and the Service delivery Network of the Local Government Unit of Palo.

The Sturdy Pillars of Information and ResearchConduct descriptive / analytical research on Health emergency. preparedness response and recovery in LGU setting together with our partner health academe, and other research institutions . Establishment of resilient data banking thru full implementation of eHealth, iClinicsys and the like. Disaster-resilient installation of updated Community Multi-Hazard Maps and evacuation directional maps (using common vernacular) in strategic place in each vulnerable barangay.

The Durable Beams of Medicines and TechnologyTimely and efficient stockpiling medicines food stuff before any event. Utilization of

Bio-Sand Filter Technology in evacuation centres or areas with challenges to water safety and potability and discover its livelihood-generating potentials.

The Firm Foundation of Health FinancingAmendment of LGU’s users fee ordinance to increase revenue considering

affordability especially to the poorest of the poor. Work for PhilHealth re-accreditation (renewal) and DOH accreditation of 3 in 1 plus package wherein capitation can be used to improve health service delivery. LGU sponsorship to increase PhilHealth membership even after the lifting of its “all availment” policy.

The Solid Walls of Health Service DeliveryHealth facility enhancement program implementation to upgrade rural health unit

building and equipment. Strengthen Inter-Local Health Zone / International partnerships, ensure functional service delivery network especially during emergencies from affected areas to proper referral institutions. Training on and revival of “Botika ng barangay”(BNB) for easy access and affordability of essential meds (DOH program) especially for the underprivileged.

The Vast Culture of Community Resilience Regular quarterly conduct of barangay- and school- based multi-hazard drills (e.g.

flooding, fire, earthquake, tsunami, storm surge etc.) cascading the proper knowledge, skills and attitude down the household-level emergency preparedness. Livelihood Program on Manageable, Affordable, Tasty, use of Indigenous materials and ingredients Nutritious (MATIN) compact meal which could be stockpiled before any emergency.

We banked on our people, ourselves who are connected with one another with orchestrated effort in order to work for and sustain vital systems, even under pressure. Being able to adapt to changes in the physical, psycho-social or economic environments and could stand on their own even if outside resources became scarce and limited and learn from experience to improve for the better over time. This awareness is important so that the Local Government must be able to mitigate the physical, economic, and psycho-social impact of events on its general constituency.

We realize that local funds are limited to straightaway accommodate all present necessities for disaster or emergency preparedness and management. This plan has provided all of us the perspective that we need for a systematic and comprehensive consideration of the fundamental requisites necessary for us to efficiently cope with any

event and within our means. Many would offer help from the outside as we people of Palo have to help ourselves, do things right, and with the right unified perspective that is the culture of community and household resiliency.