Lawmakers push construction of permanent evacuation centers

MANILA, Philippines - Lawmakers are seeking the construction of permanent evacuation centers and multi-purpose structures in disaster-prone areas.

Reps. Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental, Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa City), Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna party-list), Emmerenciana de Jesus (Gabriela party-list), Evelina Escudero (Sorsogon), Angelina Tan (Quezon), Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte) and Carlos Isagani Zarate (Bayan Muna) have filed separate bills on the proposal.

Torres-Gomez said “life centers” should be built in Leyte, citing the frequency and intensity of natural and man-made disasters in the province.

Colmenares said at least one climate-resilient evacuation center should be built in every municipality. She said schools are not designed to be shelters and could not provide for the sanitation and health needs of evacuees.

Escudero said covered courts and churches, which are also used as evacuation centers, may not be structurally designed to withstand typhoons and strong earthquakes.

Tan said the proposed permanent evacuation centers should have facilities such as kitchen and laundry areas, clinic, stockroom, a paging system room with security camera, generator and counseling areas.

Benitez, who chairs the House committee on housing and urban development, urged the government to involve communities in calamity-hit areas to find land where the permanent shelters can be built.