With modern equipment command center now operational

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City’s Command Control Center (C3) has received a technical boost and is now fully operational.

Yesterday, Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Council, presented to Mayor Michael Rama, Cebu City Police Office director Senior Supt. Noli Romana, and members of the media the “sophisticated and high-tech” equipment at the center, which include with Seismic Intensity Meter, Weather Station and closed-circuit television monitoring system.

Tumulak said the SIM is capable of monitoring ground movements and determining the intensity of a tremor, which will be disseminated directly to all the city’s 80 barangays and government offices.

“This is in real time and really no delay,” he said.

Meanwhile, the weather station will monitor and determine wind gust, velocity of rain drops and humidity.

The C3, now operating 24 hours, will also be responsible for receiving complaints and concerns and forwarding them to appropriate offices of the city.

Tumulak said they have compact communication with all barangay and law enforcement agencies to address concerns from garbage to peace and order, as well as to entertain public requests for emergency and disaster response.

He said it is their aim to respond to an emergency within five minutes.

“We are very keen sa monitoring kay kun naay mga untoward incidents, maka-dispatch dayon ta og ambulances or immediately maka-contact sa authorities near the vicinity sa area of incident (We are very keen in monitoring so that we can dispatch personnel or equipment immediately and contact authorities in the area in cases of emergency),” he said.

The center was opened last month. Its primary aim is “crime suppression, prevention, connectivity and accurate and credible information dissemination.”

The C3 has 180 auxiliaries in different barangays and has under its wing 65 medical personnel ready for deployment.

Tumulak said all their personnel underwent a thorough background check by the city government and the city police and disaster offices.

Rama said he is happy that the center is now fully in place.

“This was never a thing long time ago. Now, I am very happy because things will be addressed properly… This is really better than having none,” Rama said.

He said he is eyeing the Malacañang sa Sugbo located beside the Plaza Independencia as a command center for Central Visayas, saying its location is “proximate and access and mobility.”

Tumulak said, however, that he is not amenable of establishing a command center near the sea or any body of water.

Besides, he said, “we have to be reminded that the command center should be the last building to fall,” he said.

The city is not making public the location of C3 for security purposes. — /JMO (FREEMAN)