OCD urges prompt identification of evacuation centers as rainy season nears

The government should promptly identify where the evacuation centers will be built as the wet season in the country draws near, the Office of Civil Defense said Sunday.

“Yung evacuation centers, kailangan maghabol-habol tayo diyan kaya lang, hindi yan magiging available within the year, so kailangan paspasan, at least, yung pag identify ng evacuation centers,” OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno told Super Radyo DzBB.

(We need to expedite building the evacuation centers. However, it won’t be available within the year so we need to at least speed up identifying their locations.)

Nepomuceno pointed out the availability of property lots and accessibility are among the challenges in establishing evacuation centers.

“Dapat sa gobyerno (ang lupa). Hindi pwedeng bumili ng lupa from the private sector [dahil] mahal at mahaba ang proseso,” Nepomuceno said.

(The property lot should be government-owned. We cannot buy from the private sector because it’s costly and the process is longer.)

“Yung pag identify kailangan kakasya yung dinisenyo ng DPWH. Hindi lang yun takbuhan ng tao. Dapat merong study area, lugar para sa nursing mothers, dasalan, may lutuan, at kuryente and tubig,” he added.

(The evacuation center designed by the Department of Public Works and Highways should fit in the identified proportion of land. It has to have a study area, a place for nursing mothers, a prayer area, a kitchen, and have water and electricity.)

Nepomuceno also said permanent evacuation centers must be built in areas affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano since classes in schools housing evacuees are being affected.

“Yung between four to six kilometers, kailangan mayroon na silang permanenteng evacuation centers na pupuntahan dahil sa 22 evacuation centers, 11 are schools,” he said.

(Residents within the four to six kilometer danger zone should be evacuated at a permanent evacuation center, because of 22 evacuation centers, 11 are schools.)

There are currently over 8,100 individuals taking shelter in evacuation centers, Nepomuceno said.

Earlier this week, PHIVOLCS reported  a moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of Mount Kanlaon.

Thin ashfall was observed in some areas in Negros Occidental.

Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) remains over Kanlaon with currently increased chances of short-lived moderately explosive eruptions that could generate life-threatening volcanic hazards. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News