BUTUAN CITY – As the rainy season approaches, the municipality of Sibagat in Agusan del Sur is preparing its 43 designated evacuation centers in different villages to ensure readiness and resiliency.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Ernesto Sombrio of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) said the evacuation centers were strategically situated and could be easily accessed by residents during calamities.
“The evacuation centers can house 2,885 families. Each facility has responsible persons assigned to oversee and manage,” he added.
Ten of the temporary shelters are located in the town's Poblacion area, which can accommodate more than 1,000 families.
“Some evacuation centers need additional furnishings such as the roofing extension to cover the evacuees completely from heavy rains. We are working for the completion of these furnishings,” Sombrio said.
In a separate interview on Wednesday, Mercedito Polistico, the person in charge of one of the evacuation centers in the Poblacion, affirmed the local government unit's readiness to assist its residents during calamities.
“The Sibagat Center for Culture and Arts is also a designated evacuation center on Purok 11 in the Poblacion area. It has a kitchen where the evacuees can prepare their food and a room where treatment can be done for those who need immediate medical attention,” Polistico said.
Sibagat is among the Agusan del Sur towns that were hit by flooding in February this year due to rains caused by the low-pressure area.
Sombrio said that the MDRRMO is closely watching the Wawa and Sibagat Rivers, which usually swell during heavy rains. (PNA)
