RESILIENT UNIVERSITY

In keeping with its promise to promote readiness and resilience, NWU took part in the yearly Gawad Kalasag competition organized by the Office of Civil Defense. During the 2019 21st Gawad Kalasag Regional Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance, NWU bagged 1st Place as Best Higher Education in the Region. The honor was a testament to the institution’s commitment to creating a resilient, secure, and welcoming campus.

ORGANIZATIONAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROFILE

With the expanding role, it faces in the next ten (10) years the DTF’s command structure needs strengthening to enhance operation and performance. The structural change also conforms to the threefold objectives of RIDAM: capability building and volunteerism, education and awareness, and research and community engagement. The command structure seeks to mobilize all sectors of the NWU community and partners to ensure the effective and efficient implementation of the university’s disaster and resiliency programs. Specifically, it aims to achieve the following goals:

1. Expands participation in emergency planning by including the academic and non-academic sectors;

2. Increases awareness and skills in risk management; and

3. Strengthens the university’s risk reduction, management, and sustainability program by supporting and institutionalizing disaster risk reduction and sustainability initiatives.

The Task Force is the principal unit charged with implementing the school’s resiliency and disaster management programs and advocacy. The university president serves as the DTF’s Director and leader. Through the Chairman, the Vice President for Administration directly oversees and administers the DTF’s operations. The Task Force, along with other designated implementing units, collaborates to implement programs and activities consistent with the three objectives of the RIDAM, which are capability building and volunteerism, education and awareness, and research and community engagement.