ORMOC CITY – As the number of climate-related catastrophes and medical crises increase, having a Public Service Continuity Plan (PSCP) is vital for effective response and rapid recovery; hence, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 8 passed a resolution during its latest quarterly meeting on October 9, 2025, which urges Local Government Units (LGUs) to institutionalize continuity planning to ensure essential services like health, water, and power continue during disasters.
According to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) 8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, having a PSCP in place allows local governments to respond more effectively and will ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential services during disasters and emergencies.
“The continuity of public services is crucial to protect lives, uphold public trust, and support rapid recovery. Thus, this resolution urges the LGUs to develop their PSCPs,” said Torrecarion.
Torrecarion emphasized to the LGUs that disaster preparedness includes more than simply emergency response; it also involves making sure that public services and governance continue to operate both during and after emergencies.
All government member agencies of the DRRM councils at all levels, as well as other government departments, offices, bureaus, services, units, and instrumentalities, are required to create their own PSCP by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)’s existing Memorandum No. 33, series of 2018.
A PSCP is a strategy that outlines how to keep service delivery at acceptable levels when disruptive events occur. Furthermore, as a crucial component of overall disaster risk reduction and management efforts, it seeks to strengthen community resilience by ensuring ongoing public service even in the face of disruptions like natural disasters.
Moreover, the PCSP ensures leadership succession, improves continuity capabilities for all government institutions, and minimizes damage and loss to critical processes by emphasizing internal capacities, recovery requirements, and strategies. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail OCTOBER 6-12, 2025 issue)
