Solon backs erection of modern evac centers

REPRESENTATIVES Elizaldy S. Co and Alfredo Garbin of Ako Bicol Partylist inspect the the progress of the works on a water facility being in Batangas Sports Complex. (Rhaydz B. Barcia)

BATANGAS CITY --- Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Elizaldy S. Co is pushing for the construction of disaster resilience buildings in calamity-prone regions and provinces across the country to serve as shelters of the people in times of emergency and natural calamity.

The Bicolano partylist congressman bared this during his visit in the Batangas Sports Complex, where Ako Bicol is putting up a water facility to serve Taal evacuees and ensure proper sanitation to prevent diseases in the temporary evacuation camp.

He said that his partylist group has funded the construction of a disaster resilient evacuation center inside the Bicol University campus in Legazpi City, which when finish can accommodate numerous families in times of calamity.

This facility worth P500 million, will known as the country’s first Regional Disaster Resilience Building and Convention Center.

Co said the building cum convention center will have state-of-the-art facilities with a training facility so that evacuees specifically women could be trained in livelihood seminars while temporarily staying there. It will also be spacious so that children of evacuees could play freely and study while in evacuation center.

“Ako Bicol allotted P500 million and we hope to get another P500 million. This disaster resiliency building and convention center is the first in Philippines. We hope to finish it in two years. This will be followed soon all over (the country) according to DPWH Secretary Mark Villar,” Co said.

Co said that he hopes to replicate this project pioneered in Bicol to other regions in the country.

Co was with his fellow Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin during their visit in Batangas Sports Complex, where the partylist group and Sunwest Care Foundation humanitarian team are constructing a water facility.

“We opted to bring a modern drilling machine to locate and put up level 1 water system facility. This can supply evacuees with clean water from the ground to prevent the spread of diseases.

Ako Bicol humanitarian team bringing relief goods leaves Bicol for Batangas weeklong humanitarian mission.