The government is targeting the construction of more than 200 disaster-resilient evacuation centers this year to accommodate those displaced by calamities, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
To date, around 114 evacuation centers have already been set-up under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said in a weekly economic briefing held at Malacañan Palace.
“The administration seeks to build more evacuation centers that will withstand strong typhoons and earthquakes.”
Villar said that for this year, the current administration eyes to build more evacuation centers that will withstand strong typhoons and earthquakes.
The public works chief added that the government’s plan is to build two evacuation centers in every province.
Villar also said that the number of evacuation centers that will be constructed could increase if the DPWH will be given additional budget.
“By this year, we have programmed more than 200 evacuation centers that we are targeting to finish… In fact, in this year’s budget, meron po kaming (we have an) allocation for two evacuation centers at least per province,” he said.
“So madadagdagan pa iyan (It will increase), if we get additional budget… Magkakaroon po ng (There will be) additional, in addition to evacuation centers that are already programmed in the (2020) budget,” Villar added.
Following the destruction in the wake of the ashfall caused by the eruption of Taal Volcano, Duterte has renewed his call for the construction of more durable evacuation centers.
The President also suggested that evacuation centers have bathrooms fitted with separate shower rooms and toilets.
Villar said his office will double its efforts to meet its target and finish the construction of evacuation centers within this year.
Villar made the pledge as he raised the possibility that the construction of some evacuation centers might not be completed in just one year.
“‘Yung iba siguro hindi rin matatapos sa loob ng isang taon (Perhaps, the construction of evacuation centers cannot be done in one year). But we will do our best to build as many as we can within the year,” Villar said.
“We have to build more.”
“Kailangan pang dagdagan. Of course, sa dami pa ng mga evacuee, we need more. So ‘yun po ang sinasabi ni President na kailangan pa nating dagdagan (We have to build more. Of course, there are many evacuees so we need more. That’s what the President has been saying, we need additional evacuation centers),” he added.
Senators Bong Go and Win Gatchalian have filed separate bills that seek the establishment of permanent evacuation centers in every municipality, city, and province in the country to address the issues facing evacuees in times of calamity.
Go’s proposed measure, Senate Bill 1228, mandates the construction of evacuation centers that are well-ventilated and can accommodate a large number of evacuees.
Meantime, Gatchalian’s bill, SB 747, directs every municipality and city to construct an evacuation center for people who have been evacuated or displaced from their homes due to emergency situations.