By Ferdinand Patinio/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Friday six evacuation centers worth close to PHP260 million are already completed in Region 5 (Bicol Region).
DPWH Region 5 Director Virgilio Eduarte said the evacuation centers will serve as safe and efficient shelters for Bicolanos in times of calamities.
He added that a total of PHP258 million was allocated for the construction of evacuation centers in Barangay Tughan, Juban, Sorsogon; Municipality of Virac, Catanduanes; Barangay Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur; Barangay Sto. Domingo, Vinzons, Camarines Norte.
Evacuation centers were also constructed in Barangay Balading, Malinao Albay; and Barangay Bolod, San Pascual, Burias Island, Masbate.
He said each center is located in disaster-resilient areas avoiding faults and no-build zones.
It has a minimum lot area of 3,000 square meters and were constructed in accordance with the National Building Code of the Philippines, allowing it to withstand wind speed of 250-kilometers per hour (kph) and seismic activity of at least 7.0 magnitude.
Each center houses a two-story accommodation building, a two-story office, and infirmary building, a toilet and bath building, three-story laundry and drying building, and a single-story disposal building as well as a powerhouse and guardhouse.
He added that the accommodation building has separate areas for dining, food preparation and dishwashing, meditation, breastfeeding, communication, and storage while the infirmary building houses the pharmacy.
“To ensure that the centers are gender-responsive and persons with disability (PWD) friendly, the buildings are provisioned with separate comfort rooms for male and female, wheelchair ramps, running water, railings, and proper lighting,” Eduarte said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the DPWH official added that two other evacuation centers are being constructed in Sitio Tubog, Zone 1 in the Municipality of Libon, Albay and in Barangay Caliliog in the Municipality of Tinambac, Camarines Sur.
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