by Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), through the Cordillera DRRMC (CDRRMC), inaugurated on Wednesday the third regional evacuation center (REC) in Abra to ensure that there will be no disruption of classes after a calamity.
“This will be the first-ever regional evacuation center for the use of Abra put up in Dolores town. It can accommodate around 130 individuals or 33 families,” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Cordillera director Albert Mogol said in an interview, noting that the facility is Gender and Development (GAD) compliant.
The first REC was built in Baguio while the second was in Apayao province.
Mogol said the Duterte administration wants to establish RECs in each province of the country to address the issue of suspension of classes after a calamity strikes due to the presence of evacuees in public schools.
He said building of provincial evacuation centers is included in the priority project of the Duterte administration.
Mogol said the Cordillera is planning to establish five more RECs in Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga and Tabuk City.
Mogol said the newly-built evacuation facility costs PHP36 million was built on a 2,000-square meter land area donated by the local government as its counterpart.
The two-story evacuation facility located in barangay Mudiit, Dolores, Abra is equipped with spacious rooms, restrooms, warehouses, material recovery facility, pharmacy and a generator system.
Mogol said the local government units could also construct their own facilities if they see the need.
Mogol said evacuation centers are mandatory in the Cordillera considering that the region lies on a disaster-prone area and susceptible to natural calamities.
“We are targeting every province in the region since we are a calamity and disaster-prone area. We need this kind of facilities,” he said.
