On November 5 and 6, 2024, the Institution Building (IB) division of the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) organized an Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) Workshop for the College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) at UP Diliman. The training was facilitated by IB staff, led by Chief Science Research Specialist Jose Abraham Ongkiko, who was accompanied by Junior Project Assistants Jerzyne Anne Corpuz, Franklin Joshua Gali, and Jonathan David Maligalig.
Day 1 opened with a welcoming atmosphere as CSWCD Dean Prof. Lenore Polotan-dela Cruz delivered inspiring remarks, followed by an overview of the college’s functions presented by Dr. Paul Edward N. Muego. The morning sessions laid the groundwork for understanding emergency preparedness planning, with highlights including presentations on hazard identification, risk assessment, and mission-essential functions (MEFs) by the IB team.
The highlight of the day was a surprise fire drill that tested the participants’ readiness. This was followed by engaging firefighting exercises, where participants learned how to properly handle fire extinguishers—a critical skill for real-life emergencies.
Day 2 maintained the momentum with a recap of the previous day’s discussions and a deeper dive into emergency protocols and disaster preparedness. One of the highlights of the day was the writeshop, where participants collaborated with UPRI representatives to draft the college’s Emergency Preparedness Plan and draft the members of the Incident Management Team which would follow the Incident Command System. Another key moment was Jose Abraham Ongkiko’s interactive discussion on the go bag. He demonstrated an actual go bag and explained the purpose and proper use of each item it contained, emphasizing its role in disaster readiness.
The workshop concluded with evaluations and discussions on the way forward, leaving participants equipped with actionable plans and a renewed commitment to resilience. This successful initiative reflects UPRI’s dedication to fostering disaster-prepared institutions through expert training and community engagement.