Solons urge gov't to build permanent evacuation centers

MANILA, Philippines - Two partylist lawmakers called on Congress to direct concerned government agencies to construct permanent evacuation centers during disasters.

Gabriela partylist Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Luzviminda Ilagan filed House Resolution 696 urging the House Committee on National Defense and Security to direct the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council and other concerned agencies to establish internationally acceptable standards for the construction and management of permanent evacuation sites.

"The aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda manifests the continuing failure of the national government to prepare for approaching disasters or to at least come up with an organized and efficient evacuation response.

"The evacuation centers that were supposed to protect the people ended up being hazards as well as most of the currently designated evacuation centers are located in disaster-prone areas and were not structurally designed as typhoon-proof," she added.

She cited an article from the NDRRMC that out of the  more than 3.42 million  families affected by supertyphoon Yolanda, 890,895 families or 4.10 million persons were displaced and served both inside and outside of evacuation centers.

Ilagan said an evacuation plan has always been a problem during disasters or calamities with schools, covered courts and even churches used as evacuation centers.

"Congestion in most evacuation centers puts at risk the evacuees, especially the pregnant women, the disabled, senior citizens and the children who are the most vulnerable in times of disasters," she said.

Aside from crises in the congestion and availability of evacuation centers, Ilagan also noted that mobilizing the people to evacuate becomes a problem as well.

De Jesus said that emergency preparedness is vital because it establishes a state of readiness to respond to extreme events that could affect a community.

"During disasters or natural calamities, evacuation is one of the pre-disaster responses that ensure people's safety and security," she said.

She said this is true especially for the Philippines, which is hit by an average of 20 typhoons annually.

"At least 5,000 families and 30,000 individuals, on average, are also affected yearly by these typhoons," De Jesus said.