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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Carina' effect: Villafuerte renews call to establish permanent evacuation centers

'Carina' effect: Villafuerte renews call to establish permanent evacuation centers

Published Jul 30, 2024 05:40 pm

At A Glance

  • Following the displacement of some 40,000 families due to Typhoon "Carina" and the seasonal southwest monsoon (Habagat), Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is once again pushing for the passage of a measure that would institutionalize the creation of permanent, climate-proof evacuation centers nationwide.

P500-B yearly recovery fund sought in Villafuerte-authored House billCamarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (Rep. Villafuerte's Facebook page)

Following the displacement of some 40,000 families due to Typhoon "Carina" and the seasonal southwest monsoon (Habagat), Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is once again pushing for the passage of a measure that would institutionalize the creation of permanent, climate-proof evacuation centers nationwide.

In a statement on Tuesday, July 30, Villafuerte said the House of Representatives and the Senate should prioritize the establishment of permanent evacuation centers in every city and municipality of the country since it would provide temporary shelter to people forced to flee their homes due to calamities.

“This will provide safe shelters for hapless families who are forced to abandon their homes during calamities or disasters—and put an end to the recurring sorry scenario of public schools and even churches being used as temporary abodes by tens of thousands of evacuees until such time that it becomes safe for them to go back to their dwelling places,” he explained.

Villafuerte is a co-author of House Bill (HB) No. 7354, which aims to build such centers across the country.

Earlier this year, the measure was approved by the lower chamber via 307-1 vote.

A counterpart measure—Senate Bill (SB) No. 2451—was filed in September 2023 by eight senators led by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 38,292 families or 152,800 persons were still in 848 evacuation centers as of Monday, July 29, or nearly a week after Typhoon Carina plowed through the country.

Because of the impact of the heavy flooding—seen as the worst since Typhoon "Ondoy" in September 2009—most of these families remained sheltered at public schools.

“The use of public schools and even churches as temporary shelters for evacuees will continue being a nagging woe whenever a killer storm or any other disaster or calamity hits us until such time that we have permanent evacuation centers in every city and municipality that are built with adequate facilities and ready for increasingly erratic and destructive weather caused by climate change,” Villafuerte said.

The National Unity Party (NUP) president stressed that it’s necessary for the government to finally put an end to the “never-ending problem” of local government units (LGUs) as to where to house the displaced calamity victims.

“We have to build climate-ready evacuation centers all over the country so our local governments will finally be able to stop using public schools in their localities as temporary shelters for dislocated families,” he continued.

Villafuerte pointed out that LGUs should avoid using classrooms as temporary shelters as much as possible because such practice causes learning disruptions.

Case in point: the Department of Education (DepEd) recently deferred the scheduled July 29 nationwide opening for the school year (SY) 2024-2025 in 832 schools in Metro Manila and four other regions.

“However, it is quite impossible for our local executives to avoid using them as temporary shelters in the absence of permanent ECs in all cities and municipalities to accommodate people forced to leave their homes during typhoons and other natural or man-made calamities,” the congressman added.

The House-passed HB No. 7354, according to Villafuerte, shall provide LGUs a big say in identifying and then running these would-be permanent evacuation centers in their respective localities.

He said the bill tasks the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to identify with local chief executives the areas to be prioritized in the establishment of permanent centers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is mandated to build the temporary centers.

Related Tags

evacuation centers lray villafuerte Typhoon Carina
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