Vice Mayor Arquillano was invited by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Assistant Secretary Raymond Liboro to share his town’s best practices and experiences relative to DRRM that led them to receive the United Nations
Sasakawa Award for disaster risk reduction in 2011 with him as mayor at that time.
Arquillano introduced a “purok” system, making them disaster resilient by utilizing indigenous knowledge in disseminating critical information and risk assessment, waste segregation, delivery of health services, and related activities at the
household level.
However, Arquillano admitted that it was really hard implementing such initiatives saying “it was hard to change the mindset of the people. It was a struggle but we eventually made that change”.
As a typhoon-prone area, Vice Mayor Arquillano’s administration exerted all efforts to make Camotes Isaland disaster-resilient.
“We can never avoid disaster but we can make our area resilient from it,” he added.
Arquillano also emphasized the importance of continuity of the programs initiated by the local governments to ensure the safety of the people in times of disasters.
“It should be continued by whoever would be the next chief executive,” he pointed out, adding “that is why I made sure that my brother becomes the next mayor in our area,” he jocularly said, drawing laughter from the participants.
In his previous statement after winning the UN award, Arquillano said, “Think big, start small.”