Ilonggos told to stay off "hazard" zones

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology advised residents living in hazard zones to vacate their place to prevent themselves from falling into dangerous incidents.

DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said proper information dissemination of hazards map, through the help of local government units, is needed to help convince these residents living in vulnerable areas to leave their place for their own safety.

"I believed that those erring people are those who were not informed of the danger they might be facing for staying in that hazard areas. They should be well-informed," he said during his visit to attend the two-day Science for Safer Communities Session at a hotel in this city.

DOST-National Operational Assessment for Mitigation executive director Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay also said they give advance warnings to those people living in danger zone if they could not let them vacate the area.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum also advised residents to learn from previous disasters and be better prepared for future calamities, by remembering the past, such as the 1948 earthquake, the typhoon Frank in 2008 and super typhoon Yolanda last year. — (FREEMAN)