By Betheena Unite Two more evacuation facilities in Iloilo and Roxas City were recently completed, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced on Wednesday. Roxas City Evacuation Center (DPWH / MANILA BULLETIN) “Residents of Barangay Milibili, Roxas City and Barangay Igtambo in San Miguel, Iloilo no longer have to use schools as temporary shelters in times of calamities with the completion of these bigger and better disaster resilient infrastructures,” Villar said. Although the facilities were built in two villages in the region, people from neighboring towns can also seek refuge in the new facilities in times of calamities. “In times of emergency, this will serve as refuge for people not only from San Miguel but also for the people from the neighboring towns of Leon, Alimodian, Pavia, and Sta. Barbara,” Glecerio Cabunducan, principal of San Jose Elementary School said. According to DPWH Region 6 Director Lea Delfinado, a total of P36-million each was allocated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for the construction of the facilities that can accommodate approximately 33 families. Aside from being gender-responsive and persons with disability-friendly, the standardized facilities are complete with an office and infirmary building, laundry and drying building, toilet and bath building, powerhouse, guardhouse, and a materials recovery facility. The department said two more evacuation centers located in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras and Sagay City, Negros Occidental are expected to be completed while another is targeted for completion before the end of the year. Villar said building evacuation centers across the country is one of the priority programs of the infrastructure department in order to do away with the practice of using school buildings as evacuation sites as this disrupts the holding of classes during calamities.