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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Disaster-resilient, mega-evacuation centers a must after Mindanao quake--solons

Disaster-resilient, mega-evacuation centers a must after Mindanao quake--solons

Published Jun 24, 2026 09:46 am

At A Glance

  • Camarines Sur Reps. Migz and Luigi Villafuerte urged government to build permanent mega-evacuation centers after the June 8 Mindanao earthquake displaced 75,000 families.
  • RA No.12076, signed in December 2024, mandates disaster-resilient, climate-proof ECs nationwide to replace schools and temporary shelters.
  • The Villafuertes pressed national government and LGUs to prioritize high-risk communities and fully implement the law for durable shelters.
(Unsplash)
(Unsplash)


Camarines Sur-based solons are prodding government to pour investments on fully-equipped, permanent mega-evacuation centers (ECs) to shelter evacuees in the aftermath of natural disasters, including earthquakes.
Rep. Migz Villafuerte (5th district) and Rep. Luigi Villafuerte (2nd district) pointed to the more than 75,000 families in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook Southern Mindanao last week is a cue for the government to do this.
According to the congressman-siblings, the immediate construction of such ECs are provided for under Republic Act (RA) No. 12076, or the “Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act.”
RA No. 12076, signed by President Marcos in December 2024, sought permanent ECs in every city and municipality in the country.
“The perennial problem of the national government and LGUs (local government units) in finding temporary accommodations for people whenever natural disasters like strong earthquakes or killer typhoons force them to flee their homes should prompt the government to ponder spending big on permanent ECs, in compliance with RA 12076,” said Rep. Migz.
He was a co-author of this law in the previous 19th Congress along with then-Rep. and now Camarines Sur Gov. LRay Villafuerte, along with Camarines Sur 1st district Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Party-list.
Rep. Migz says the Mindanao tremblor is a recurring scenario in post-disaster situations, and thus "points to the urgency for the government to fully implement the ‘Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act".
“It’s time for the national government to work with LGUs (local government units) in putting up permanent climate-proof and fully-equipped mega ECs in elevated places to ensure that evacuees have safe and fully-equipped temporary shelters to go to after strong earthquakes or whenever typhoons and other natural calamities strike, especially our highly-vulnerable communities,” Migz Villafuerte said.
The law calls for disaster-resilient ECs in high-risk communities. These climate-proofed, fully-equipped structures shall be built on elevated places to ensure that evacuees are safe and secure especially during floods and storm surges.
Rep. Luigi hoped that in the construction of permanent ECs, priority would be given to building such disaster-resilient facilities in high-risk areas across the country.
With the construction of permanent ECs nationwide, Rep. Luigi said that LGUs would no longer have to use public schools and other local facilities to house their respective constituent-evacuees.
He recalled that in signing RA No. 12076, President Marcos had acknowledged the long-standing issue of schools being used as ECs. This hampers these classrooms’ primary purpose of fostering learning.
Rep. Luigi, who, like Rep. Migz has served as provincial governor said that learning is disrupted, especially when evacuees have to stay in public-schools-turned-ECs for weeks or even longer, in the absence of alternative shelters or when the evacuees cannot immediately return to their homes.
Under RA No. 12076, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is tasked to work with LGUs in identifying, among others, the flood-prone cities or municipalities that should be prioritized in the construction of permanent ECs or the selection of existing facilities that could be upgraded into durable and lasting shelters for evacuees in times of cyclones and other natural disasters.
Under this law, the ECs must be calamity-resilient, built with sturdy materials, and in accordance with the specifications of Republic Act (RA) No. 6541, or the National Building Code of 1972, or shall be at par with the standards set by the International Building Code.

Related Tags

Mindanao earthquake Luigi Villafuerte Migz Villafuerte evacuation centers
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