NASSA to Hold Emergency Simulation Workshop

As a result of the concerted efforts of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA), Catholic Relief Services, and CARE Asia Regional Management Unit, a capacity- building activity dubbed “Emergency Simulation Exercise” will be held at Eugenio Lopez Center , Antipolo City come February 5 - 6, 2008 .

Aiming to develop and use simulation tools to help the Emergency Capacity- Building organizations build and enhance staff capacity in emergency preparedness, this two-day activity is a concrete response to the need for equipping and further enhancing participants' emergency efficiency.

This capacity- building activity will focus on Social Action Centers (SACs) determined to be more vulnerable to disasters.

Participating Social Action Centers are Baguio , Libmanan, Sorsogon, Boac, Butuan, Iligan, Borongan, Calapan, Catarman, Infanta, Maasin, and Surigao.

Invited facilitators who will conduct the simulation workshop are experts in disaster preparedness: Donal Reilly and Ryan Russell, and Wayne Ulrich, Regional Coordinator in Disaster Risk Management & Emergency Response.

Each participating Social Action Center will be represented by one participant who could reflect as much realities into the workshop as possible or could somewhat describe the situation on the ground during an emergency. Participants should be directly involved in emergency response activities including decision-makers and staff who conduct emergency assessments, distributions and programming activities such as the Program Officer, Admin/HR, and procurement personnel.

PRESS RELEASE | 30 January 2008 | CONTACT: Jerome Carlos M. Macatangay | 527-4134, 527-4147, 0927-981- 0718527-4134, 527-4147, 0927-981- 0718