The conduct of pre-emptive evacuation has been very effective in achieving zero casualties and injuries, hence the need to invest in better evacuation centers, the head of Iloilo’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
In an interview, PDRRMO head Cornelio Salinas said the focus should be on improving evacuation centers for the convenience of evacuees.
“The next move is how to prepare our evacuation centers to accommodate evacuees when we do a preemptive evacuation. Hygiene and sanitation, better comfort rooms, plenty of water, potable water, and ventilation. We need more modular tents to provide privacy to our sick and elderly, pregnant women, and small children,” he said.
He added that conducting forced evacuation entails huge operational costs and even endangers responders.
At the height of Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi), Iloilo preemptively evacuated 15,857 families, or 47,400 individuals, from 409 barangays in 32 local government units (LGUs).
It also evacuated 379 families, or 1,221 persons, from 17 barangays in five affected LGUs during Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong).
Latest data from the PDRRMO showed that Tino affected 51,570 families, equivalent to 162,571 individuals, from 825 barangays in 41 municipalities.
There was one fatality due to drowning in Dumangas and one missing due to a rain-induced landslide in Janiuay town.
A total of 161 houses were destroyed while 7,701 were damaged.
“We will make the report accordingly to the provincial government and concerned national government agencies for their rehabilitation and recovery direction,” he said.
Meanwhile, agriculture losses reached P185.25 million, affecting 9,513 farmers and fisherfolk.
For Uwan, the office has recorded 3,669 families, or 12,339 persons, affected.
“We have been saved and God is good that we were able to overcome the two super typhoons,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Uwan affected 36,006 families, or 109,220 individuals, from 578 barangays in 52 LGUs in Western Visayas.
The weather disturbance also destroyed 25 houses and damaged 305 others.
As of 4 p.m. on Monday, more than PHP1.46 million worth of humanitarian assistance has been released by the DSWD, local government units, and non-government organizations.
The agency also assured that it still has nearly P52 million in available relief resources, consisting of P2.79 million in standby funds and P49.2 million in food and non-food items.PNA
