SIAP SIAGA Program Conducted Audience to Four Districts in Bali 

Understanding, commitment, and full support are needed for the implementation of disaster risk management program support in Bali. Therefore, the Bali Provincial BPBD, together with the SIAP SIAGA program team, conducted an audience to four districts in Bali that will receive support in 2024, namely Klungkung, Buleleng, Tabanan, and Gianyar.

The audience in Buleleng District was conducted on Thursday (11/1). This activity was attended by, among others, the Acting District Head of Buleleng, the Head of the Buleleng Public Works Office, the Head of the Buleleng Environment and Forestry Office, and the Head Executive of Buleleng Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).

During this opportunity, the Acting District Head of Buleleng, Ketut Lihadnyana, said that in his area, each subdistrict has a different disaster character. Therefore, the placement of disaster management tools needs to be adjusted with the disaster character of each area. He also mentioned a number of programs related to disaster management, including ‘Buleleng Kali Bersih‘ or ‘Buleleng Clean Rivers’. So far, waste piled up on the riverside has become one of the problems in efforts to make rivers clean. For this reason, it is necessary to educate communities on riverbanks to protect the environment and manage waste. “In disaster management, there needs to be coordination and cooperation between areas, not only on technical but also social aspects,” he said. 

The Head Executive of BPBD Bali Province, I Made Rentin, explained that the SIAP SIAGA Program, a collaborative program between the Government of Indonesia and Australia in disaster risk management, provides support for strengthening disaster management efforts in four provinces in Indonesia, including Bali. The program focus in Bali is contingency plans (renkon) and the strengthening of the Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB), including in Buleleng District. “The role of FPRB is very strategic as a government partner in disaster management,” he stated. 

On this occasion, the DRM Area Coordinator of the SIAP SIAGA Program in Bali, Diyah Perwitosari, introduced the support plan for the SIAP SIAGA Program, especially in Bali, from 2024 to 2026. The support of the SIAP SIAGA program will be realised by applying the principles of climate change adaptation and gender inclusion. 

The Head Executive of the Buleleng District BPBD, Putu Ariadi Pribadi, said that currently, Buleleng already has a Disaster Risk Assessment (KRB) and a tsunami Contingency Plan (Renkon) as well as a Disaster Management Plan (RPB). His agency targets to complete the discussion of the Local Regulation on Disaster Management in 2024. In addition, his agency is collaborating with Ganesha Education University (Undiksa) to design a Disaster Emergency Management Plan (RPKB) and a Contingency Plan for Draught. 

Priorities in Klungkung 

Previously, a similar audience was also conducted by the SIAP SIAGA Program team in the Klungkung District. The event, which was held on Monday (8/1), was attended by, among others, the Acting District Head of Klungkung, the Head Executive of the Bali Provincial BPBD, the Head Executive of the Klungkung District BPBD, and the Chairperson of the Bali FPRB. 

The Head Executive of BPBD Bali, I Made Rentin, during this opportunity, introduced the SIAP SIAGA program and program support priorities in 2024 – 2026 to the disaster management stakeholders in Klungkung District. One of the program’s priorities is to promote change and a paradigm shift from responsive to disaster preparedness. This can be done through mitigation, capacity building, and appropriate communication strategies in accordance with disaster character in the Klungkung District. Of the 14 types of disasters in Bali, Klungkung has a specific disaster risk in the form of liquefaction. “Therefore, this year’s SIAP SIAGA Program will support Klungkung,” he explained. 

The Chairperson of FPRB Bali, I Putu Sutha Wijaya, said that Bali had actually implemented the initiation to establish FPRB at the district/city level, which was declared in 2022. However, not everything went smoothly, including in Klungkung. Therefore, this year, the process is expected to be more intense. Support from the District Head for the establishment of FPRB in Klungkung is crucially needed, considering that until now, there has been no legal umbrella for the establishment of FPRB in Klungkung. 

The Acting District Head of Klungkung, I Nyoman Jendrika thinks that the coordination of SIAP SIAGA program implementation is a positive step. He has also received an explanation regarding the support plan from the SIAP SIAGA Program in the Klungkung District. He hopes that disaster management programs in Klungkung District can be implemented smoothly so that they can increase the Disaster Risk Index (IRB) of Klungkung District. 

After conducting audiences in the Klungkung and Buleleng Districts, the SIAP SIAGA Program team will also carry out similar activities in the Tabanan and Gianyar Districts.