WITH the recent rains and typhoons, the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) said some residents continue to refuse to be evacuated, especially those who have gotten used to the weather and drunkards.
CDRRMO Head Alfredo Baluran said in an interview on November 8, 2022, that Dabawenyos are manageable when it comes to preventive measures but there are still stubborn individuals who will refuse to cooperate.
“Dabawenyo is dali lang i-guide, but meron pang people na medyo stubborn pa ng konti, pero gamay naman lang na sila, so kaya na nato i-manage but kailagan gyud ilahang cooperation (It is easy to guide Dabawenyos but there are still few stubborn individuals. We can still manage them but we still need their cooperation),” Baluran said.
He said most of the reasons why people opted not to evacuate are either they claim that the flood is still not visible or they are used to it.
“Wala pa ang tubig, naga-insist gyud na sila, (Since the flood did not reach their area, they will insist not to evacuate) then another reason is sanay na daw sila sa baha (they are used to flooding),” Baluran said.
Aside from that, he said drunk people are also a problem.
“Naay moambak sa sapa kay nakainom. Makig-away pa na sila sa atoang rescuers (Some drunkards will jump into the river. Some will actually fight the rescuers),” Baluran said.
He said these actions will not be tolerated.
“Unacceptable reason na siya sa amoa (That is an unacceptable reason for us). Our very objective in every disaster is to save lives and properties,” Baluran said.
He said they have installed and enhanced their early warning systems to warn Dabawenyos of possible impacts of calamities before it reaches residential areas.
He added that once they will detect a possible danger from the tributary in the city, they will inform the affected areas as soon as possible.
“Advance gyud nato gina-inform ang katong mga kaigsonan nato nga naa na pud sa impacted areas, low-lying area mga ubos na dapit nga dali ra mabahaan (We are informing them in advance especially those who are in low-lying and flood prone areas),” Baluran said.
He said in every calamity, rescuers' lives are also at stake.
“Mahimo kung naay preventive evacuation dapat motuman gyud sila kay dili lang man ilahang kinabuhi ang naa sa peligro but also the life of those responders (We hope that if there’s any preventive evacuation, Dabawenyos would listen and follow because aside from their lives being in danger, our responders lives are also at stake),” Baluran said. KSD