The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
AS part of the government’s continuing efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in partnership with various government agencies and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of La Union, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ligtas Pinoy Center (LPC) in Bagulin, La Union, earlier this month.
The facility will serve as a permanent evacuation center for residents of Bagulin during emergencies. Designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 300 kph and seismic activity of up to magnitude 8.0, the facility will be strategically located outside identified hazard zones, based on the geohazard maps of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
It will also be equipped with healthcare stations, sleeping quarters, sanitation facilities, and designated areas for livestock to address the needs of evacuees, particularly persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, women, and children.
OCD Administrator Undersecretary Harold N. Cabreros emphasized that permanent evacuation centers are essential to strengthening the capacity of LGUs to prepare for, respond to, and manage various disaster risks.
Usec. Cabreros said the initiative supports the OCD’s PREPARE framework, or the 7-Point Resilience Agenda, particularly its priorities on professionalizing the DRRM Sector, promoting DRRM advocacy and campaigns, empowering communities, and refining disaster management operations.
“With increasingly complex and frequent disasters, we must further strengthen the capacities of our LGUs with tailored resources and enhanced decision-making authority, while simultaneously intensifying anticipatory actions and protocols to proactively mitigate disaster impacts,” he said.
He also underscored the importance of establishing dedicated evacuation centers to reduce reliance on schools and gymnasiums as temporary shelters during disasters, helping prevent disruptions to education and other essential public services.
Bagulin, La Union, is among the priority municipalities identified through the Ligtas Pinoy Center Prioritization Scorecard, which evaluates six key indicators: hazard, exposure, vulnerability, coping capacity, disaster frequency, and LGU readiness.
These indicators assess the municipality’s hazard risks, the number of people and assets exposed, community vulnerabilities, the LGU’s disaster response capacity, and its compliance with project requirements, including land ownership documents and hazard clearances.
The LGU will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the facility to ensure that it remains functional and is used only for its intended and authorized purposes.