PRRD, Bong Go give aid to Taal volcano evacuees; pushes for building
better evacuation centers nationwide
PASAY
CITY, Jan. 15--President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence
“Bong” Go visited and checked the situation of more than 1,214 families
affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano who are taking refuge in Batangas City
on January 14, Tuesday.
Together
with other key officials, the President led the discussion on how to address
and mitigate issues that the country is currently facing, especially with the
possibility of Taal Volcano erupting again anytime soon. The Senator, whom
President Duterte mentioned in his short message as someone who “hails from
Batangas”, also participated in the relief operations and in the situational
briefing.
During their visit, the President led the ceremonial distribution of calamity aid that consisted of food packs and cash assistance for every family from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), hygiene kits from the Department of Health (DOH), and food items from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
In addition to these, livelihood and financial assistance from the government were also turned over by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the benefit of affected farmers and fisherfolk.
During the briefing, the President ordered a simultaneous construction of “strong” evacuation centers and hopes that the construction will be finished before his term ends.
“I hope that you can finish it before my term ends… I want projects that are doable and can be finished doing my term,” the President added.
Go, on
his end, expressed support towards President Duterte’s statement during the
situational briefing on building permanent evacuation centers, especially in
areas vulnerable to natural disasters.
Seeking
to address the vulnerability of the country to the impacts of climate change
and natural as well as human-made disasters, Go filed recently a bill providing
for mandatory evacuation centers in all cities, provinces and municipalities
nationwide.
Known
as “An Act Establishing a Mandatory Evacuation Center in all Cities, Provinces
and Municipalities, Appropriating Funds Therefor”, Senate Bill (SB) No. 1228
provides for the establishment of an evacuation center in every city, province
and municipality throughout the country.
Go said
that it is only necessary to build permanent evacuation centers nationwide to
ensure the safety of Filipinos in times of natural calamities and other
disasters given the geographic location of the country.
“The Philippines
is highly vulnerable to natural hazards, attributed primarily to the country’s
location. The country is positioned along the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire,’
an area where earthquakes and volcanic activities are more frequent than in any
other part of the world,” Go stated in the explanatory note of the proposed
measure.
“Hence,
it is high time that the State establish evacuation centers in all cities,
provinces, and municipalities which will cater to the basic needs of the
victims of these disasters and provide them temporary shelters that will
guarantee their safety, promote their social wellbeing, and guard their welfare
while they recover and rebuild their homes and their lives,” he added.
Hazardous
events include typhoons, floods, fires, storm surges, weather disturbances and
outbreaks of illness or disease that may cause imminent danger to human life
and property.
The
bill also provides for the minimum requirements for every evacuation center,
such as its location, amenities and accessibility, operation and management,
among others.
Under
the measure, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
(NDRRMC), or its successor, will act as the primary lead agency to oversee the
implementation of the act should it be passed into a law.
As for
its appropriation, the construction and maintenance of evacuation centers under
the measure will be sourced from a portion of the general appropriations for
the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The
bill also states that “Every year thereafter, the amounts necessary for the
construction and maintenance of evacuation centers shall be included in the
list of programs as part of annual budget in the General Appropriations Act.”
In previous interviews, Go—who often goes around the country to aid victims of natural and human-induced disasters—lamented that the victims are often temporarily relocated in barangay centers, plazas, gymnasiums, or basketball courts, which are not ideal for evacuation or shelter. Worse, some Filipinos do not have evacuation available for them at all, according to the senator.
“Kailangang
magpatayo tayo ng mga safe, permanent and dedicated evacuation centers na
merong sapat na mga emergency packs, katulad ng blankets, tubig, gamot,
flashlight, at ready na relief goods,” he said.
“Obligasyon
ng gobyerno na palaging maging handa na tumulong sa oras ng sakuna,” he added.
The
senator also said that President Rodrigo Duterte is supportive of the proposed
measure, saying “Kagaya ng gusto ni Pangulong Duterte, kailangan nating
magpatayo ng safe, permanent at dedicated na evacuation (center) na kumpleto po
sa mga kagamitan.”
The senator has also constantly advocated and urged colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives for the establishment of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR) through his filed bill, Senate Bill (SB) 205. The bill provides for the creation of a sole department that will deal with the mitigation and operations regarding the effects of disasters and natural calamities.
Go added that the DDR will be “an empowered, highly specialized department with clear unity of command and primarily responsible in ensuring safe, adaptive and disaster-resilient communities.”
The DDR will also have funds that will finance its operations in disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, response, recovery, rehabilitation and building forward better programs, projects and activities. One of these programs will be the construction of evacuation centers to provide comfortable facilities to those distressed Filipinos affected by such incidents.
During
the situational briefing in Batangas City, the President also gave directives
to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to assist in road
clearing operations due to ash fall. The labor department is also tasked by the
President to assist in identifying alternative livelihoods for affected
individuals.
The
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) was also ordered by the President to
facilitate quick and responsive release of funds, implying that any unnecessary
delay is unacceptable. (OSBG)
