Two (2) evacuation centers are proposed to be constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 6.
The proposed projects is in line with the Department’s effort to harmonize the design of the evacuation centers in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The locations should be identified by the Regional Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) per region based on the list of schools provided by the NDRRMC that are often used as evacuation center during calamities.
For Region 6, only Roxas Elementary School located in Brgy. Roxas, Tapaz, Capiz was identified since it was often used as evacuation center at least seven (7) times in the past five (5) years.
Moreover, DPWH has a conceptual design and recommended salient features such as prayer rooms, dining and kitchen area, breastfeeding room, accommodation room and storage, toilet and bath for male and female and the differently abled or PWDs. A space for the OCD and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) is also included.
The Regional Office has already requested the RDRRMC to identify the location and provide available government-owned lots with an area of at least 2,000 square meters that are suitable for the construction of evacuation centers. An estimated cost for each evacuation center that contains different buildings amounts to P24.814-M under the General Appropriation Act (GAA) CY 2016 for Region 6.
Providing evacuation centers is DPWH’s share to the increasing need for improving the resiliency and preparedness of the country in terms of disaster response. The protection and comfort that it will provide has an impact to those who will be utilizing these centers in times of enormous disasters.