ILOILO City – The Iloilo provincial government plans to build an evacuation center in every legislative district.
Each evacuation center will cost an estimated P10 million to P12 million, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Jerry Bionat told Panay News.
The provincial government plans to begin construction this year, Bionat said.
Capitol considers putting up the structures within elementary and high school campuses.
Standalone evacuation centers, according to Bionat, tend to just wear away when not in use.
Building the centers within school campuses would allow the schools’ administrations to use them and help in their maintenance, he said.
Iloilo has 42 municipalities and a component city, Passi, grouped into five legislative districts.
Currently three towns have their respective local government-run evacuation centers – Estancia, Balasan and Zarraga – Bionat said.
Bionat wants his own design applied to the evacuation centers to ensure the structures are suited for the districts where they will be built.
“Ang design naton base sa concept ko – kon ano ang nagakabagay nga evacuation centers. Kay iban nga designs, indi ako kumporme,” he said.
Each of the evacuation centers must have a stage, a comfort room, a stock room, and an office for social workers who will man them during calamities, said Bionat.
When not occupied by evacuees, the centers may be used by the host schools for indoor activities.
“Ang aton evacuation centers ya, at the same time, magamit sang eskwelahan sa P.E. (Physical Education), sa mga indoor activities nila,” said Bionat.
“Indi kita mag-ilog sa iban nga, later on, ma-inspection ko, damo na guba, napabay-an kay wala sang naga-occupy,” he said./PN
