Kemendes PDTT Calls Disaster Mitigation Is Important In Disaster Management

Workshop on Sharing Experiences in Disaster Management at Community and Rural/Poor Household Levels in Denpasar, Bali/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT) assesses that disaster mitigation based on community or underprivileged households in villages is important in disaster management.

"Education about disaster mitigation can be in the form of a disaster early warning system, for example in volcanic eruptions or tsunamis, providing evacuation routes and safety equipment," said Director General of Rural and Development Kemendes PDTT, Sugito in a written statement received in Jakarta, Wednesday, July 20.

The government, he said, through the Kemendes PDTT has issued Permendesa Number 7 of 2021 concerning Priority for the Use of Village Funds in 2022.

This policy also regulates the acceleration of achieving disaster management through mitigation and handling of natural and non-natural disasters in accordance with village authority.

As a step to realize the policy direction, he said, various steps were taken. First, updating data includes data related to potential disaster threats, geographical location, local wisdom, community habits, and community needs.

Second, strengthening institutions or organizations and community capacity in mitigation and preparedness.

Third, synergies with partners through synergistic forums for program implementation between ministries/agencies, local governments, private sectors, NGOs, and banks.

Fourth, mitigation and preparedness, including mitigation of vegetation, civil engineering, and facilities and infrastructure.

And fifth, post-disaster emergency response management includes trauma recovery, disaster equipment, economic recovery with the help of capital and training, rehabilitation of facilities and infrastructure, and disaster management based on local wisdom.

In the Workshop on Sharing Experiences in Disaster Management at Community and Rural/Poor Household Levels in Denpasar, Bali, Tuesday (19/7), Sugito conveyed several examples of good practices in disaster management carried out in villages, including in Jenggala Village, District North Lombok, NTB Province during a tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of seven in 2018.

At that time, he said, residents were very responsive in re-focusing the use of Village Funds for post-disaster recovery, as well as utilizing Village Funds for COVID-19 Safe Villages and providing Village Fund Direct Cash Assistance (BLTDD).

"Therefore, disaster mitigation management needs to continue to be carried out in cross-sectoral collaboration, by involving all stakeholders in the context of rural and rural development," he said.