Earthquakes and floods are two of the natural phenomena the country give the most attention to. That is why local government units and disaster risk reduction councils conduct series of seminars and drills on how to be prepared when a calamity hit the Philippines.
Many areas have already started making plans and began doing necessary actions such as designating evacuation centers in their respective barangays to prevent having casualties.
One of those is the municipality of Taysan, Batangas, which is characterized by generally low, flat terrain and surrounded by the land areas of Batangas City, Rosario, San Juan, and Ibaan. Given the geographical location, Taysan is not an exemption from experiencing such occurrence, when just last April the province encounter twin earthquakes and numerous aftershocks.
As part of the municipality’s preparation to inevitable natural phenomena, the Local Government of Taysan with the assistance of the Department of the Interior and Local Government under the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) program spearheaded the construction and implementation of the evacuation center. The Php 3,000,000.00 project was built in the heart of five (5) barangays in Taysan, namely: Brgy. Dagatan, Brgy. Sto. Niño, Brgy. Mataas na Lupa, Brgy. San Marcelino, and Brgy. San Isidro.
According to Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Bienvenido Breitz, Jr., the said center was also used as a multi-purpose hall for barangay and school events, assembly area, and as basketball court now that the basketball league has already started- so it can be functional and can be of great help to the residents of the barangays.
The youth from the five (5) barangays were the largest portion of the population who benefited from the said project since the league started on the first week of May.
“Nakakapaglaro na kami kahit sa tanghaling tapat dahil may bubong na ang court namin” said Van Exel Manalo, 19, one of the basketball players in the barangay.
Neonito Celis, 68, one of the officials in Brgy. Dagatan added that the project helped ensuring the safety of the children when they have school programs.
“’Yung mga event ng barangay at school dito na rin ginagawa kasi may bubong na, hindi na mainit at nagagamit na rin kahit naulan. Mas safe ang mga bata” said Celis.
Although, Engr. Breitz, Jr. wishes not to use the evacuation center for its main purpose, he, then, informed that they have plans of adding concrete walls for a more secured, covered, and safe place to stay when a calamity befall in the area. Hopefully, the completion of the said project will take place this year or early next year.
Altogether, thousands of families will benefit from the said project. —SCaliwagan/PDMU/R4A
