The House Committee on Disaster Resilience approved on Tuesday (Nov. 24) a substitute measure providing for the construction of a multipurpose gym in all municipalities and cities to serve as evacuation center during times of calamity or disaster.
In a virtual meeting, the panel, chaired by Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez approved the bill presented by the technical working group (TWG), chaired by CWS partylist Rep. Romeo Momo Sr. tasked to consolidate the nine measures seeking the establishment of "calamity-resilient" evacuation center in every city and municipality.
It was Lanao del Norte 1st District Rep. Mohamad Khalid who moved for the approval of the consolidated bill, “with amendments” and subject to style.”
Momo said the substitute bill tasks the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to construct “calamity-resilient” evacuation centers, which should be at par with the standards set by the International Building Code.
Under the bill, the evacuation centers shall be constructed and designed to withstand super typhoons or wind speeds of at least three hundred (300) kilometers per hour and seismic activity of at least 8.0 magnitude.
“The DPWH is tasked to be in charge of the construction of a multipurpose gym to serve as evacuation centers and to formulate the building specifications based on standards, issuances, and other guidelines set by the DPWH,” Momo said.
The measure provides that specifications of the evacuation centers shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised by the DPWH every three years.
Momo, a former DPWH official, noted that the substitute bill mandates the concerned local government units (LGUs) to be primarily responsible for the operation, supervision, and management of evacuation centers.
"They are also directed to issue rules and regulations on the proper use and maintenance of the multipurpose gym,” he said.
According to the vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations and Public Works and Highways, the bill mandates that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shall be the lead implementing arm of the proposed Act.
"It shall give utmost priority to those areas of the country that are identified as disaster prone; financially incapable to establish their own evacuation centers; and do not have existing evacuation centers of their own,” Momo said.
He said under the bill, the appropriations necessary for the operation and management of the evacuation centers shall be charged against the funds of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC), or its successor.
He said the recent disasters highlighted the need to approve a measure seeking the establishment of evacuation centers.