CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda directed the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to established Action Center on critical areas in the province this rainy season.
This came when Pineda has learned during the emergency meeting and presentation of flood control projects of different government agencies that DPWH failed to finished construction of flood mitigation projects in the province like the Arayat-Apalit Setback Levee in the Brgy. Cupang and Guemasan Arayat and Brgy. Mandasig Candaba while no more major rehabilitation will be done on Arnedo Dike.
Gov. Pineda stressed that she blames no one not even the DPWH but she is asking for the full cooperation of the barangay officials and local government units.
“We are on our own now. We need to act as one in order to surpass the challenges brought about by calamities” she said to the barangay captains present in the meeting.
The governor instructed the PDRRMC to put up an Action Center on low-lying areas in second and fourth district, on critical areas where slope protections are likely to collapse or breach anytime.
Engr. Lulu Alingcastre of PDRRMC said that theActionCenterwill serve as the direct-reporting station of whatever the status of the area. It will issue the warnings to the residents coming from the main office.
The Action Center will fast track the issuance of warnings to the people. The residents and barangay officials can prepare or act immediately based on the instruction of the center”, the engineer said.
he Action Center will be manned by a representative from the barangay, municipality and PDRRMC. They will act as the response team during calamities and emergency who will watch the area in a 24 hours basis.
“People inside the action center were trained in search and rescue operation. They know what to do during emergency”, Alingcastre said.
Pineda assured the barangay captains that the provincial government is doing palliative measures to at least minimize the effects of calamities. She added the capitol is preparing relief goods and evacuation sites if relocation is inevitable during disasters. (Jenna Lumbang, PIO Pampanga)
