Friday, November 10, 2017
The Department of Public Works and Highways will construct a modern government building that will house the Emergency Operation Center of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for Region 1.
Secretary Mark A. Villar on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 led the ceremonial groundbreaking for the construction of the proposed five (5) storey building project for the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Office 1 in San Fernando City, La Union.
The DPWH Chief was joined by La Union Governor Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III, La Union 1st District Representative Pablo C. Ortega, Abono Partylist Representative Vini Nola A. Ortega, DPWH Region I Director Ronnel M. Tan, and OCD Region 1 Director Melchito M. Castro.
Construction of the new building near DPWH Regional Office 1 at Government Center compound, Aguila Road, San Fernando City in the amount of P60 Million is included in the 2018 National Building Program of DPWH.
The OCD under the Department of National Defense, as the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, have the primary mission of administering a comprehensive national civil defense and disaster risk reduction and management program.
Presently renting a building at Barangay Pagdalagan, the construction of its own Office of Civil Defense building will enable OCD Region 1 to maintain a permanent facility for the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The new building will serve as nerve center vital in providing timely situation report and early warning dissemination to reduce the vulnerabilities and risks to hazards and manage the consequences of disasters, and facilitate multi-agency operational coordination response and resource mobilization during disasters and emergency situations.