THE Zamboanga City Government has identified an area where the proposed evacuation center will be established.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the area is located in Cabatangan village.

Salazar said the funds for the construction of the evacuation center will have to come from the National Government.

She said the City Government has allocated in its 2019 budget “certain amount” to buy modular tents and mobile toilets to be distributed to hazard areas since the city's nearly one million people cannot be put in one evacuation center in case of disaster.

Salazar said the budget also includes the purchase of other equipment that will respond to the needs of people during emergency situations in subsidiary evacuation centers.

In the meantime, the mayor believes that the City Government needs to lobby from the National Government for the allocation of funds needed for the establishment of an evacuation center in Cabatangan. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)