OLLP Revives Parish Disaster Action Response Team Amid Growing Climate and Disaster Risks

In response to the growing threat of natural disasters affecting the community, the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Bangkal (OLLP) conducted an Orientation and Re-orientation of the Parish Disaster Action Response Team (PDART) on Sunday, August 16, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the second floor of the OLLP Pastoral Building.

The activity gathered 65 participants representing the different GKKs of the parish, with the aim of reorganizing and revitalizing the parish disaster response structure following the consecutive flash floods that have affected the parish and neighboring communities. The recurring occurrence of earthquakes has also underscored the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness and response at the parish and GKK levels.

Before the orientation began, Araceli A. Cabudlan, Parish Pastoral Coordinator, expressed the parish’s desire to revive its PDART and strengthen its capacity to respond to the needs of parishioners during calamities such as floods, earthquakes, fires, and other emergencies.

She emphasized the importance of having an organized team that can immediately respond to affected families and coordinate assistance during times of crisis.

Strengthening Disaster Preparedness from Parish to GKK

The orientation was facilitated by Christian Amor Quisto and Jonnabelle Aina Y. Perez, experienced members of the PDART of San Pablo Parish and part of the Archdiocesan Disaster Preparedness Program-PDART, headed by Rev. Fr. Leonardo “Bong” Dublan, Director of the Archdiocesan Social Action Center.

Drawing from their experiences in disaster response, Quisto and Perez explained the importance of establishing and maintaining a functional PDART at the parish level, as well as a GKK Emergency Response Team (GERT) in every GKK.

They highlighted that disaster preparedness should begin at the grassroots level, where trained and organized responders can quickly assess situations, assist vulnerable parishioners, facilitate communication, and coordinate with the parish disaster response team and other agencies when emergencies arise.

The orientation also served as an opportunity for the participants to understand their respective roles and responsibilities and to recognize the need for stronger coordination among the parish, GKKs, and disaster response partners.

A Parish Prepared to Respond

In her closing message, Josephine del Castillo, Parish Social Action Ministry (PSAM) Coordinator, expressed her gratitude to the GKK representatives who responded to the call to participate in the reorganization of the parish disaster response team.

She likewise thanked the speakers for generously sharing their knowledge and firsthand experiences as PDART members, which helped the participants appreciate the importance of being prepared even before disasters strike.

The activity concluded with a shared meal prepared by the Parish Social Action Ministry (PSAM), with the different GKKs contributing and sharing their blessings for the participants. The simple gesture reflected the spirit of communal solidarity that is essential in responding to times of crisis.

The revival and reorganization of the OLLP-PDART marks another step toward building a more prepared, coordinated, and resilient parish community—one that is ready not only to respond when disaster strikes, but also to protect and care for its most vulnerable members.

As Scripture reminds the community:

“The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”
— Proverbs 22:3

The ADPREP-PDART distributed application forms to the participants to start the OLLP’s recruitment process for several trainings for search and rescue, camp management, relief operations, medical services, among others.

For OLLP-Bangkal, preparedness is not merely about responding to disasters—it is an expression of the parish’s commitment to protect life, serve others, and remain united in times of crisis. (Rowena Baldoza-Villaflor)