Neri Colmenares (Facebook)

If former Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares would have his way, he would have the government tap expropriated Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) hubs as temporary shelter centers.

Colmenares gave this suggestion Saturday. Nov. 16 even as typhoon "Pepito" threatened to pummel central and northern Luzon.

"When Bayan Muna authored the Disaster Alerts Law we believe it will help warn the people thru text that a typhoon or calamity is coming. Now we have to take care of typhoon victims during the typhoon by providing them with decent shelters," he said.

"We have numerous POGO facilities in areas like Bamban, Porac, Bataan, Bulacan, and Cagayan that can serve as spacious, well-equipped evacuation centers," notec Colmenares. 

"While we cannot use these as schools due to potential psychological trauma from past activities, they are ideal as temporary evacuation sites," he said.

Colmenares highlighted that many of these facilities are already equipped with medical centers and have ample space, making them suitable emergency shelters while waiting for the passage of the Permanent Evacuation Centers bill.

Key areas with potential POGO hub evacuation centers include:

• Bamban, Tarlac

• Porac, Pampanga

• Bataan

• Bulacan

• Cagayan

• National Capital Region (NCR)

Colmenares is the first nominee of Bayan Muna Party-list in the upcoming 2025 mid-term polls.