ASCOT’s NSTP Director Prof.Lolita H. Dela Cruz, and NSTP Facilitators Ms. Michelle A. Resueño and Ms. Cristelita A. Panlilio recently attended the National Capability Enhancement Training for NSTP Educators and Implementers held last November 13-15, 2013 at the La Piazza Hotel and Convention Center, Tahao Road, Legazpi City.

With the different catastrophe that hit our country which includes the insurgency in Zamboanga, the Magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Bohol and the Typhoon Yolanda that hit the Visayas Region, the Philippine Society of NSTP Educators and Implementers, Incorporated (PSNEI), in its series of national capability enhancement trainings has concentrated for this year’s theme: “Synergizing CCA, DRR and Gender Initiatives in Building Resilient Communities through NSTP and NSRC Implementation”.

This National Training was intended to provide knowledge and skills relative to climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction management, development planning and gender sensitivity for an effective and responsive National Service Training Program (NSTP) and National Service Reserve Corps (NSRC) implementation and to benchmark on practices and experiences of Albay in CCA and DRR.

The three-day activity features plenary sessions on topics: Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Best Practices – The Albay, Bicol Case by Dr. Cedric D. Daep, Head, Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency and The Naga City Case by Cong. Maria Leonor G. Robredo; Gender and Development Orientation by Hon. Remedios I. Rikken, hairperson, Phil. Commission on Women; and Incident Command System by Dr. Joseph Reylito S. Espiritu, Assistant Regional Director, BFP Region V.

Discussions on the NSTP Issues and Challenges, NSRC Overview, Operations and Leadership and Accreditation of NSRC Trainers were also tackled during the seminar. The training also included workshops on Earthquake and Fire Demo, Emergency Preparedness and Fire Olympics.

At the closing everyone was reminded that we can and we must reduce the impact of disasters by building sustainable communities that have long-term capacity to live with risk.