Zarate calls on Senate to pass bill on creation of evacuation centers

Following the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in central and southern Philippines, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate on Monday urged the Senate to hasten the approval of its version of a measure that will establish evacuation centers in every city and municipality.

Zarate said his House Bill 5259, which was substituted by House Bill 8990, proposed that evacuation centers should be resistant from typhoons, earthquakes, and other disasters so that affected residents will not just stay in tent cities.

"This is a departure from the common practice of using schools and multi-purpose halls as evacuation centers but are still in danger prone areas. The evacuation centers proposed by House Bill 5259 should also be located in between barangays so that more people can reach them at the soonest time and may also serve as the command center for disaster response," Zarate said.

"It should have a stockpile of food and water as well as isolation centers and clinics. It can also house generators and secured cell sites so that there would be communications even if other towers are down," he added.

GMA News Online sought the comment of the Senate regarding Zarate's call. However, it has yet to respond as of posting time.

In March, the chamber approved on final reading House Bill 8990 or An Act Establishing Evacuation Centers in Every City and Municipality, and Appropriating Funds Therefore.

Aside from ensuring the safety of citizens during times of disasters and emergencies, the bill also aims to decongest temporary evacuation centers such as public schools and other facilities.

Zarate said the national government must undertake measures while waiting for the completion of a comprehensive disaster preparedness program given that the Philippines is often visited by typhoons.

"We can save lives by ensuring that sturdy and typhoon-resilient, climate change-adaptive evacuation centers are located at a distance safe from waters and landslide-prone areas in every two to three contiguous barangays," Zarate said.

More than 1.8 million people were affected by Odette's onslaught, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. The areas most affected by Odette were northeastern Mindanao, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Palawan.

Based on the data released by the Philippine National Police, 208 people died due to Odette.—AOL, GMA News