• Maj. General Darryl Wong, adjutant general for the U.S. Department of Defense based in Hawaii, is special guest in tomorrow's groundbreaking rites

BACOLOD CITY – Bacolod City Rep. Anthony Golez will lead the groundbreaking rites for the construction of the SMC-Petron Bacolod Disaster Preparedness and Relief Center inside the compound of Bacolod City Police Office at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Golez said in a statement the project, the first in the country, is part of the three-pronged disaster program for the city and the rest of Western Visayas.

Special guest during the event is Maj. General Darryl D.M. Wong, adjutant general for the U.S. Department of Defense based in Hawaii.

Wong is a ranking officer of the Hawaii National Guard, considered the training ground for the world's experts in disaster search and rescue training. He is

in the Philippines for the 28th PHL-US Balikatan Exercises 2012.

The Disaster Preparedness and Relief Center will provide support to local government units in case of disasters and other related emergencies in terms of training for emergency response, relief assistance, paramedic services, and other logistical requirements.

The ceremony will coincide with the launching of the Western Visayas Public-Private Sector Disaster Management Network or WESVISNET that will bring together both local and national public and private agencies united under the advocacy of disaster management.

Golez said after that, the Bacolod Humanitarian, Emergency, Logistics, Paramedics Services or Bacolod H.E.L.P.S. will also be organized.*NLG