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Manila Bulletin devider devider Gyms, covered courts should be turned into evacuation centers — Lawmakers

Gyms, covered courts should be turned into evacuation centers — Lawmakers

Published Sep 17, 2018 05:52 pm
By Ellson Quismorio Party-list congressmen are suggesting the conversion of covered courts and gymnasiums of local government units (LGUs) into evacuation centers in a bid to spare public school classrooms of this duty. (Photo courtesy of QC Barangay Captain Elizabeth Cheche de Jesus via Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN) (Photo courtesy of QC Barangay Captain Elizabeth Cheche de Jesus via Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN) AKO-Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo noted that their proposal could be easily adopted by LGUs since they already have the structures ready. "The LGUs have many covered courts and multipurpose buildings that could be used as evacuation centers. They just have to be enclosed and given additional amenities like portalets. There's no need to look for land or go through the trouble of building new structures," said Batocabe, leader of the 46-strong Party-list Coalition in the House of Representatives. "These sports facilities not within the public school campuses are spacious and can be re-purposed or reconfigured to double as evacuation centers. Many LGUs are already using them," Salo said. The two legislators made the call as typhoon "Ompong" battered provinces in the north, displacing nearly 600,000 people in the process. "Definitely, classrooms should be out as evacuation centers," stressed Batocabe, referring to a common practice during times of calamities and natural disasters. One advantage of using gyms and sports facilities as evacuation centers is that children's classes no longer need to be disrupted by the stay of the disaster victims even as the government tries to relocate them. Salo said some classrooms and other school facilities also get damaged during calamities and while hosting the evacuees. “Getting this done as early as 2019 may need some tweaking of the proposed 2019 national budget. DBM (Department of Budget Management) may suggest where the funding can come from. Perhaps a significant part of the Local Government Support Fund may be allocated for the evacuation centers,” he added. Over the weekend, President Rodrigo Duterte proposed the building of evacuation centers in towns and cities that are frequented by typhoons. He subsequently told Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar to study how feasible it would be to erect these dedicated evacuation centers.
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