Mayon’s eruption has again put on full display one constant in this calamity-prone land – of schoolchildren being the first collateral victims when their schools are commandeered to house refugees, a practice which can be stopped by building permanent evacuation centers.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto issued this call urging government to step up its evacuation center-building program that began in 2016, when that year’s national budget authorized funding for 32 dormitory-type buildings in 16 regions.

In addition to building more of these, Recto urged government to “consider other designs, like gymnasiums which will serve as evacuation centers during calamities.”

Recto has authored Senate Bill No. 805 which seeks the construction in every city and municipality of a multi-use gym, “na hindi lang pang sports, pang disaster pa.”

The sports-cum-evacuation center, Recto explained, hits two birds with one stone.

“It addresses the shortage of covered sports facilities in municipalities and the need for a disaster-resilient safe building people can seek shelter in during calamities,” Recto said.

Such a multi-purpose civic center can be the venue for community events on ordinary days but when calamity strikes, could take in evacuees, Recto said.

He said the building can store disaster rescue equipment and emergency supplies. “It can also serve as the HQ of the local disaster management committee.”

Recto said putting up that building in every town will prevent schools from becoming default evacuation areas during calamities, a practice which turns students into displaced persons, too.

“Disasters displace two kinds of people: those who are directly hit, and the children, who, though unscathed, have to temporarily give up their classrooms to evacuees,” Recto explained.

In conflict areas, the vacation of children whose schools are used to house refugees “is coterminous with the length of fighting,” Recto said.

Recto said these structures are needed in the second most disaster-prone country in the world where mass evacuations happen all the time. “Kaya dapat given na itong mga gyms na ito. Bahagi ng ating disaster response infrastructure.”

RELATED ARTICLES:

• 19 JUL 2017: From bomb, bomb, bomb, to build, build, build extending aid more important than extending ML – Recto

• 30 MAY 2017: Recto urges release of billions in Calamity Fund for Marawi City rehabilitation, aid to civilians

• 11 NOV 2016: Recto: Next year’s P37 B Calamity Fund silent on unfinished Yolanda work

• 25 OCT 2016: With Yolanda Anniversary days away, Recto scores low utilization of P19 B rehab fund

• 24 OCT 2016: No need for foreign aid P37 B of Calamity Fund unspend as of Aug 31 – Recto

• 23 OCT 2016: Recto – Cut red tape in the request use of Calamity Funds

• 16 APR 2016: Where’s Calamity Fund for fisherfolk hit by El Niño? – Recto

• 11 APR 2016: Recto: Next pres must cut calamity aid red tape; preposition aid to regions.

• 09 APR 2016: Recto: Red tape voluminous documents hamper El Niño

• 05 APR 2016: Send humanitarian army calamity aid, cabinet men to Kidapawan

• 02 APR 2016: Law requires online disclosure of El Niño Calamity Fund spending

• 11 FEB 2016: Dinky should ask palace for El Niño funds – Recto

• 23 OCT 2015: Recto proposes ‘CCT-V’ as better aid for disaster victims

• 20 OCT 2015: Gov’t told to dip into “bag of billions of unspent funds” to aid Lando victims

• 09 OCT 2015: To prevent drought in funds, Recto wants specific El Niño funding in 2016 budget

• 20 JAN 2014: Rehab funds in national udget carry “Do not plunder” warning

• 09 JAN 2014: I rechanneled my PDAF to the Calamity Fund

• 17 OCT 2013: Recto bats for bigger DAP funds in 2014

• 28 AUG 2013: Recto defends Calamity Fund: “Scrapping it will be the real calamity.”

• 07 AUG 2013: Recto: Tap P7.5 B Calamity Fund to help Mindanao areas hit by floods bombings

• 30 SEP 2011: Unspent budget is virtual ‘Calamity Fund’

SENATE BILLS/RESOLUTIONS:

• 21 JUL 2016: Senate Bill No. 805: Multipurpose Gym in All Municipalities Act of 2016