The city government is planning to establish eight more Iloilo City Action and Response (ICARE) centers in various areas here for better disaster mitigation approaches and reduce the potential hazards.
Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRM) officer Donna Magno, in an interview on Thursday, bared this plan after the city received “beyond compliant” recognition from the National DRRM Council for the 22nd Gawad KALASAG Seal for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance for the Local DRRM Councils and Offices.
“So what does it mean if an LGU (local government unit) is beyond compliant? Meaning it is at the excellent level and the LGU has exceeded the standards in establishing the DRRMO and its functionality is beyond the standards set by the law,” Magno said.
She said that to be “beyond compliant”, the LGU has innovations to improve its DRRM advocacy and has prepared its people for any disaster to reduce the potential impacts of hazards.
Magno cited that foremost among Iloilo City’s best practices was the establishment of an operation center and the protocols that were set up.
The establishment of ICARE center was very helpful in decentralizing emergency management since it was placed closer to the community, she said.
“The idea is to have in one place our law enforcement and public safety offices; Public Safety Transportation and Management Office, Iloilo City Police Office, Bureau of Fire, and CDDRMO,” she added.
Currently, there are three operational ICARE centers based in Barangays Calumpang and Balantang, and the Gaisano Iloilo City Command Center in Mandurriao district.
One center is being built in Ungka, Jaro and is about to be completed this year.
Next year the centers in Barangays Tanza Esperanza and Sooc will be operational.
In the pipeline are in Arevalo district, Megaworld in Mandurriao district, Nabitasan in La Paz, Balabago in Jaro, at the Central PhilippineUniversity, and at the city government’s motor pool.
As part of the early warning effort of the CDRRMO, the city government is planning to install 179 closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) in strategic areas in three phases.
Currently, 20 CCTVs are already installed and were found to be very effective in the conduct of monitoring during the recent onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
“As demonstrated during Paeng, we were able to provide the public the status of creeks and the Iloilo Guimaras Strait,” she said.
Magno added that the local DRRM council is active and functional and was not created just to comply with the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Gawad Kalasag in 2020 has shifted to an assessment tool kit where all LGUs have to participate annually since it is being linked with the DILG’s Seal of Good Local Governance and recognized beyond compliant and fully compliant LGUs.
“In 2019 we were able to enter the national category for highly urbanized cities. We were top three among the HUCs with best LDRRMC,” she said.
The date for the 22nd GK National Awarding Ceremony, which will be done virtually, is yet to be announced. (PNA)
