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The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Youth Commission (NYC), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the AGRIDAM (Agent for Risk and Damage Management) Project for Youth on March 30, 2026, at Kalayaan Hall in MalacaΓ±ang Palace.
Present during the signing were TESDA Director General, Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez; NYC Chairperson, Undersecretary Joseph Francisco Ortega; NYC Commissioner for Luzon, Assistant Secretary Gervy James Gumarit; and CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley Agrupis. The initiative was also supported by Ilocos Norte First District Representative Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, who attended as guest of honor, and Presidential Assistant for Northern Luzon, Assistant Secretary Ana Carmela Remigio.
The project aims to strengthen youth participation in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and promote a more inclusive approach to building resilient communities.
In his message, OCD Administrator Undersecretary Harold Cabreros emphasized the importance of youth engagement in disaster preparedness and resilience, and that a collective and inclusive approach is necessary.
“In the field of DRRM, building preparedness and resilience requires a collective and inclusive approach, one that actively involves the youth. Strengthening youth leadership in DRRM is a significant step toward creating safer, more resilient communities. As the AGRIDAM Project for Youth begins, we firmly believe that the youth will play a crucial role in advancing this mission,” Usec. Cabreros said.
The AGRIDAM Project was first implemented in Northern Luzon in 2024 through OCD Regional Offices I, II, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Northern Luzon. The initiative equipped communities and barangays with the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes, and resources for disaster preparedness through Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Training of Trainers (CBDRRM TOT).
Building on its success, OCD will expand the program by focusing on the youth sector through its partnership with NYC, CHED, and TESDA under the newly signed agreement.
