How ToEstablish Your

AREACOORDINATIONCENTER (ACC)

AREA

COORDINATIONCENTER

PROVINCIALDEVELOPMENTCOUNCIL

PRESIDENT

PROVINCIALDISASTER COORDINATINGCOUNCIL

MANAGEMENTCOMMITTEE

NON-GOVERNMENTORGANIZATIONS

PEOPLESORGANIZATIONS

COC-IS

CPCS

OTHERSTAKEHOLDERS

LGUs

PROVINCIAL PEACE& ORDER COUNCIL

DEPT/AGENCIES

NATIONALCOUNCILS

Essentially, the establishment of an Area Coordination Center or ACC requires interagency effort under the leadership provided by the Local Chief Executive (LCE). The challenge ahead is to organize and maintain the ACC as a venue to coordinate and integrate efforts of local government offices and agencies to address various concerns.

UNDERSTANDINGYOUR ACC

1. An ACC is an office or center with a physical grouping of personnel for the purpose of coordinating and integrating efforts to address emergencies, peace and order, security and development concerns.

2. An effective ACC has a 24-hour information/reception capability and is staffed by duty personnel coming from the Local Government Offices, PNP and AFP to handle administrative, intelligence, communications, and logistics concerns of the Center on a round-the-clock basis.

3. The number of ACC personnel must be kept as small as possible as the security situation would allow.

4. Stringent security measures must be observed within the area (Active and passive counter-intelligence activities must be continuously conducted.)

5. Where possible, a senior official should closely supervise the operations of the center.

SETTING UP THE ACC

Find a location for the ACC. For maximum efficiency, it should be colocated with or adjacent to the Provincial Capitol or city municipal hall. Initially, for provincial / city / municipal ACCs, the conference room of the provincial capitol and city / municipal halls may suffice while looking for a more permanent structure. For ACC at the barangay level, the barangay hall may be utilized as the ACC.

STEP 1.

Call a meeting among the members and participating offices / agencies / units to organize the ACC.

STEP 2.

The following may be the agenda items to be tackled during the meeting :

ACC Concept Briefing

Appointment of an Executive Officer to oversee the setting up of the ACC, and

Identification of possible sources of the ACC’s administrative, communication, and supplies and logistics requirements.

Issue appropriate order establishing the ACC and pass a Provincial / City / Municipal / Barangay Board or Council Resolution supporting the establishment of the ACC and appropriating funds therefore.

STEP 3.

Set up the ACC to include its radio room and other facilities.

STEP 4.

Launch the organization of the ACC.

STEP 5.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

ADMINISTRATIVE

Personnel requirements in the newly established ACC shall come from the different agencies involved. The local government may have to provide a small contingent of personnel for the smooth operation of the ACC.

To record activities within the ACC, an office journal should be prepared daily which shall include among others, events, incidents, and activities as well as action taken.

COMMUNICATION

The ACC is linked through various communication means to the members, participating LGU’s / Organizations / Committees / Councils, Regional / Field and Central offices of departments / agencies, and Regional and National Committees / Councils. It is also linked to the COC-IS OPCEN which renders report to the President through COC-IS.

The ACC shall have its own communication room which should be manned on a 24-hour basis under the supervision of a communication Officer. The communication room shall maintain, where possible, a base radio operating at a prescribed or agree upon frequency (primary and alternate) and a telephone directory and communication means availability chart of all agencies involved.

COMMUNICATION

The Communication Officer shall be responsible in preparing and publishing the communication net diagram and voice procedures.

SUPPLIES & LOGISTICS

The ACC should be properly identified at an office or center by placing outside the center a signage which includes the name of the province / city / municipality / barangay :

For example:

OCCIDENTAL MINDOROAREA COORDINATION CENTER

The ACC shall have at least a conference table as work station of the different participating offices and agencies.

The local Government Unit (LGU) may have to provide some equipment, furniture and fixtures, and office supplies. It may also have to support some transportation requirements of the ACC, especially for administrative movements. Concerned members and participating agencies of the ACC shall utilize to the maximum their respective resources.During