Mindanaotoday.com | Mambajao MDRRM trained on dead, missing persons mgmt
By: Recthie Paculba
CAMIGUIN – Fostering better handling of missing and dead persons and bereaved families, the Mambajao Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) held a training at the Mambajao SB Session Hall, here, Feb. 20.
“The MDM (Management of the Dead and Missing Persons) is headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government as the lead convenor and aims to provide assistance in the proper identification and disposition of human remains in a sanitary manner, with cautions to prevent negative psychological and social impact on the bereaved families and the community,” said Jay Niel Añasco of DILG-Camiguin.
He added that the cluster will focus on 1) identification of the dead, 2) final arrangements and disposition of the dead, 3) management of missing persons, and 4) management of the bereaved families.
On handling the dead and body parts, Añasco shared the minimum equipment needed by the responders, and these include the coverall, shoe cover, N95 respirator, alcohol-based hand rub, apron, gloves, and goggles.
Cadaver bags must be heavy-duty, non-porous, and leak-proof plastic. It should be properly tagged with the location, collector, date of collection, and body number.
The local government units are responsible for the final disposition of the unidentified bodies to be buried in collective or individual graves, marked with their unique case numbers and/or labels.
They should also consult the community and religious leaders of the disaster site regarding the final disposition of the unidentified bodies.
As for the roles of concerned agencies, Añasco said the Philippine National Police (PNP) along with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are accountable for the dead bodies caused by disasters for identification and accounting. They are also tasked with issuing certificates and establishing standards.
The regional DRRM, on the other hand, shall provide official information on the dead bodies, including the official list of identified and unidentified human remains.
Handling missing persons
“A person is considered missing upon reporting by the family or concerned citizen to the local police station,” Añasco said.
The PNP and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are tasked with verifying the identity of the reported missing persons from their records. Their basis for verification and reporting missing persons is the record of a warrant of arrest for the PNP, while DSWD’s basis is the records of centers or residential care facilities.
The list of missing persons presumed to be dead shall be submitted to the local chief executive for approval and endorsement by the RDRRMC. The LGU is accountable for updating the list of missing persons and should therefore submit reports to the NBI or PNP.
The RDRRMC will then issue certificates for missing persons presumed to be dead due to the disaster.
As for the bereaved families, the requirements needed for beneficiary claims include the barangay certificate as resident and claimant, the police report of the local DRRMC report from the local PNP, the death certificate from the local civil registrar, endorsement for payment from the LDRRMC, and the endorsement of the Office of the Civil Defense Regional Office to the chairperson of the NDRRMC.
As a general policy, the government should allocate at least 1% of DRRM funds for MDM operations. Efficient, timely, and effective coordination shall also be observed among and between all agencies and other stakeholders involved in MDM.
The LDRRMOs of the province participated in the said event along with the PNP, DSWD, and other stakeholders. (RTP | PIA-10 | Camiguin)
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