The Iloilo City Public Information Office (PIO), in partnership with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), recently conducted a training on disaster reporting for members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps at the City Hall penthouse.

“We hope to train our media partners on how to report disasters,” said Mayor Jose Espinosa III.

Christian Aid Asia and the Middle East Policy Officer Jessica Dator-Bercilla, who served as a speaker during the training, emphasized an importance for reporters to provide encouragement to their audience.

“The value of this training is also to ensure that not only media practitioners are able to contribute to the betterment of understanding of risk, that would save a lot of lives, but also encourage people to build their capacities against disasters,” she explained.

Dator-Bercilla said it is also crucial for the public to learn about their current situation from the media.

“Give the media a chance to explain what is happening,” she stated.

Meanwhile, CDRRMO head Donna Magno also facilitated a workshop discussing how to stay safe during disaster./WDJ