APRIL 27, 2014

NR # 3449

Establishment of permanent evacuation centers in the country pushed

Lawmakers have urged the government to stop using public schools as evacuation centers during calamities and instead construct more permanent structures, which can be used as safe havens for evacuees in every contiguous barangay in the country. Rep. Rodolfo Biazon (Lone District, untinlupa !ity", chairman of the #ouse !ommittee on $ational Defense and %ecurity, said there is a need to determine the nature or type of evacuation centers to suit the particular calamity in a given area and whether it should be made permanent or movable. Biazon said there is also a need for an updated topography and hazard maps in order to determine the vulnerable areas as well as suitable areas for evacuation centers. &Different hazards call for different approaches. 'or hazards of long duration, like volcanic eruption in (lbay, there may be a need for permanent evacuation centers. 'or storms, temporary shelters shall suffice. 'or tsunami or storm surges, the residents in the area should go farther from the shore and into an elevated area,) Biazon said. Biazon asked the $ational Disaster Risk Reduction and anagement !ouncil ($DRR !" to submit a thorough study on the different types of evacuation centers needed in the different specific parts of the country. Rep. *mmi De +esus (,artylist, -abriela", one of the authors of #ouse Resolution ./., said congestion in most evacuation centers, such as schools, covered courts or churches, usually puts at risk the evacuees, especially the pregnant women, the disabled, senior citizens and the children who are most vulnerable in times of disasters. &0t should be imperative for the government to provide a long1term response to the problem, hence, permanent evacuation centers located at the safest areas in the country must be established and constructed within internationally acceptable standards,) De +esus said. De +esus said schools must not be used as evacuation centers because the children2s education is the most affected especially in situations when things should have started to get normal but families cannot yet vacate the school premises because their houses have not yet been repaired nor constructed. &3his practice of using schools as evacuation centers has to stop to cushion the impact of calamities and disasters especially on the children,) De +esus said. De +esus said an evacuation center in every two to three contiguous barangays that

is big enough to accommodate the target population can minimize the loss of lives. Rep. (ngelina 3an (4th District, 5uezon" author of #ouse Bill 6678, proposed the construction of permanent evacuation center in every province, city, municipality, and other strategic areas throughout the country, with essential facilities, such as, centralized kitchen and laundry areas, clinic, stockroom, a paging system room with security camera, an office for social welfare personnel, a generator, counseling area, among others. &( permanent evacuation center in every province, city, municipality and other strategic areas throughout the country will lessen the loss of lives by bringing the evacuation center nearer to the populace and at the most accessible and safe areas,) 3an said. (69" jc