CEBU, Philippines - Around 3,000 families in Cebu City have been forcibly evacuated by the city government because of typhoon Ruby.
Councilor David Tumulak, who heads the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the evacuation was declared so that families along coastal areas and riverside will be safe from the threat of the typhoon.
But even before a "forced evacuation" was ordered by Mayor Michael Rama yesterday afternoon, some of the residents living along the coastal barangays have already evacuated as early as Thursday.
Rama said that the "forced evacuation" which he called as "persuasive harassment with care" was declared after the report of PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration)-Mactan chief weather specialist Engineer Oscar Tabada during the Quick Response Team meeting yesterday afternoon.
"I don't want forced evacuation, it's persuasive harassment with care because there is still the element of care," he said.
The evacuation was assisted by the police through Senior Superintendent Conrad Capa, officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office.
The city government has identified at least nine evacuation centers. These include Don Carlos A. Gothong Memorial High School which houses at least 2,399 individuals from Barangays Pasil, Mambaling, Suba, and Sawang Calero; Carreta Elementary School with at least 1, 885 individuals from Barangay Carreta; Cebu Technological University houses at least 985 individuals from Barangays Tejero, Tinago, and San Roque; City Central Elementary School also houses at least 825 individuals from Barangay Ermita; Tejero Night High School also houses at least 804 individuals from Barangays Tejero, Tinago, and T. Padilla; while at least 606 individuals from Mabolo are sheltered at Mabolo National High School.
At least 290 individuals from Barangays Sambag 1 and 2 in Cebu City Sports Complex, at least 75 individuals from Barangays Pahina Central, Ermita, and Sawang Calero in Regino Mercado Night High School; at least 65 individuals from Barangay Mabolo in Bagong Lipunan Elementary School.
Rama said he appreciated that some families have volunteered to evacuate even before the city government declared "forced evacuation."
"Better earlier than late and better safe than sorry," he said.
The evacuees, however, were advised not to rely on food provisions from the city government. Rama said he expected the affected families to provide for their own food provision.
"As much as we can supply, it is not even they will have to feel nga pakan-on gyod sila. They should be thankful that there is a pro-active move bringing them to a safer place," Rama said.
"We don't want to say that come to the evacuation centers kay naay pagkaon kay it will just cause also that people will just treat it as if there is a feeding program," he added.
Rama said City Hall department heads were assigned to different evacuation centers to help supervise.
As of yesterday afternoon, however, the Department of Social Welfare and Services has begun distributing relief goods in all evacuation centers.
DSWS chief Ester Concha said they are giving food supplies enough for three days.
"Sige lang kay wala man sad ta kahibaw kun kanus-a gyud mobiya ang bagyo. Mas maayong andam (food)… Gi-prioritize gyud ang katong taga coastal barangays," she said. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Mechelle P. Florita/FPL (FREEMAN)