MANDAUE CITY, Philippines—The Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) is set to conduct simulation exercise drills regarding evacuation to the city’s flood-prone areas.
CDRRMO Head Buddy Alain Ybañez said this is to utilize the very hot weather and in preparation for the rainy season.
Recently, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa) raised the El Niño Alert.
The weather state bureau said that El Niño is likely to emerge starting June and is expected to continue until the first quarter of 2024.
“Samtang wala pa (ting-uwan) dili nato palabyon nga wala tay buhaton. Atoang icapacitate ang mga barangay kay lisod na sad kaayo maabot (kusog uwan),” said Ybañez.
(While the rainy season isn’t here yet, we won’t let time pass without doing anything. We will capacitate barangays now because it will be difficult when the rainy season comes.)
The drills that will be conducted will be based on the disaster plan of the barangays. He said that all the city’s 27 barangays have already created their disaster plans.
The plan would feature the routes going to the meeting place before residents will be taken to the evacuation sites.
Ybañez said that they would prioritize are flood prone areas such as barangay Paknaan among others.
They will also coordinate with the Purok Development Office and its purok-based emergency response team (ERT).
Because most of the evacuation sites are schools, Ybañez said they would conduct the simulation exercise drills starting June or after the end of classes.
Honorarium
Meanwhile, CDRRMO head Ybañez clarified that the P2,000 monthly honorarium is for the members of the barangay disaster teams and not for the Purok-based ERT.
Purok Development Office Head Karlo Cabahug said that the purok-based ERT was capacitated so that residents will be empowered and equipped to be able to respond to any alarms in their houses and areas.
Ybañez added that this was created to instill voluntarism among residents.
On Thursday, May 4, during the city council’s session, the proposed ordinance regarding the financial assistance was passed by the city council on the first reading.
/bmjo
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