BY DHARLYN MAE QUBING
University of Antique Intern
ILOILO – The provincial government has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Inter-Agency Resilience Hub in Carles to enhance disaster preparedness and emergency response in the coastal municipality.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. led the ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 10, marking the opening of the P10-million two-story facility.
The project was jointly funded by the provincial government and the municipal disaster fund of Carles, each contributing P5 million.
Originally conceptualized as the operations center for the Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force and a command post for monitoring the Visayan Sea, the facility has been expanded into a centralized command hub for various emergency responses. It will address threats related to climate change, food security, and public health, including efforts to combat dengue in the province.
“We recognize that there are prevailing, lingering, and continuing national emergencies,” Defensor said, emphasizing the need for proactive and integrated disaster response strategies.
The hub will serve as a municipal extension of the Provincial Civil Defense Service of Iloilo (ProCiD Serv Iloilo), a program spearheaded by Defensor to coordinate responses not only to disaster threats but also to public health, crime, and education-related concerns.
Cornelio Salinas, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), highlighted the hub’s modern communication and monitoring tools, which will facilitate real-time information gathering, swift decision-making, and coordinated emergency operations. The facility will also be used for disaster planning, simulation exercises, and capacity-building programs for responders and local communities.
Local officials, including Mayor Siegfredo Betita and Vice Mayor Arnold Betita II, attended the launch alongside representatives from other municipalities interested in adopting similar resilience hubs.
The provincial government has also initiated plans to construct additional resilience hubs in other coastal municipalities, including Estancia, Banate, Concepcion, and Ajuy, as part of Iloilo’s broader commitment to disaster preparedness and community safety./PN
