THE Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) stressed their continued campaign on pre-disaster planning and directed barangays to cooperate in identifying areas for constituents to temporarily stay in times of calamities or pre-emptive evacuation.
The campaign was bolstered after some barangays affected by mass wasting expressed willingness to transfer their residents to safer places.
"Ang Barangay Salaysay personally nag-contact na sa amoang office nga naa'y balak ang ilang barangay council nga i-transfer sila og safer place, gina-leave nalang namo na sa mga barangays, especially kadtong mga naay mass wasting na kung pwede sila makapangita og lugar nga kabalhinan sa ilahang mga community. Pwede pud magtinabangay nalang gyud ta sa karon kay dili nato na sila pwede dalahon sa downtown, congested naman pud ta diri and dili pud nato sila pwede malayo sa ilahang panginabuhi, so within their area kung makapangita sila'g safer place the better for them (Barangay Salaysay communicated with us that its council plans to transfer the affected to a safer place. We are leaving the decision to the barangays, especially in areas with mass wasting. They can look for areas that can be used to relocate their communities, there is a need to help each other out because on our part, we cannot bring these people to the downtown as we are already congested here, and we cannot also take them away from their livelihood so if they can look for a safer area, the better for them)," CDRRMO Research and Planning Acting Head Maria Cristina Sunga-Villegas said during the I-Speak forum on Thursday.
Villegas said that the barangay leaders know the situation on the ground and it is the barangay's initiative, especially if there is still a safer area to be transferred to.
CSWDO Acting Assistant Head Sara Festin, in the same forum, said that they also rely on the barangays to look for proper evacuation areas.
"Barangay ang mag tan-aw asa dapit ang safe ground para sa mga evacuation, kung wala, last resort ang mga schools (It is the barangays that will look for safer grounds where the evacuation sites are to be located but the last resort are the schools)," Festin said.
Festin said that the barangays, through the orientation organized by the Barangay Cultural Communities Affairs Development (BCCAD), are informed of the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2 or Guidelines on Camp Coordination and Camp Management and Internally Displaced Persons Protection.
"Nagpadayon ang orientation sa barangay, social workers, and other partners nga gina-conduct sa BCCAD. After this, naa gihapon ta'y orientation with the CDRRMO para well-informed and equipped atong barangays (The orientation with barangays, social workers, and other partners continues and it is being conducted by the BCCAD. After this we will still have an orientation with the CDRRMO so that the barangays will become well-informed and well-equipped)," Festin said.
She added that based on the guidelines, an ideal evacuation, especially in massive events, is one with water and electricity, clean comfort rooms, and have standby generators, child-friendly spaces, breastfeeding areas, and marital spaces, among others.
The evacuation sites should also have space for domestic animals.
To sum up, the evacuation should have a safe and healthy environment.
"Dako kaayo ang tan-awonon sa barangay asa nila i-put-up (The barangays have a lot to consider in putting up the facility)," she said.
Meanwhile, with the occurrence of mass wasting incidents affecting Marilog, officials in the area also reached out to them and expressed intent to build their evacuation center.
She said that they encouraged them to thoroughly check for safe ground where the facilities can be placed.
Festin said that currently, the evacuation areas in the city are located in Los Amigos and Mahayag, and there are already identified possible areas that can be built with more evacuation sites.
The CDRRMO urged the barangays to propose sites because disaster funds may be used to fund their construction. CIO
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