JICA Approves P780-M Grant for Albay’s New Evacuation Centers

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan has approved implementation of the P780-million project on the construction of seven evacuation centers in the province of Albay under the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The project which will cover the seven two-storey evacuation centers with 15 rooms per storey will cost about P60 million each.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the buildings would serve as emergency shelters for those that need not be relocated especially residents along the flood-prone areas outside the danger zones of Mayon Volcano.

"This is a first since JICA Head Quarter has agreed to provincial implementation instead of national government through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)," Salceda said, adding that the project has already gotten its green lights after months of follow-up with the donor.

"The proposal was for the construction of Emergency Evacuation Centers in vulnerable areas of mayon volcano due to pyroclastic flow and mudflows (lahar), landslides and flood. This will help a lot in saving lives during calamities," the governor added.

The official said a preparatory survey has been approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan for the consideration of the approval of the project.

Based on the JICA recommendation, the Preparatory Survey consists of 2 surveys: preliminary survey and basic design survey.

The province evacuated some 10,000 families during Mayon's mild eruption last December 15 to January 4. But other calamities such as floods, lahar flows and strong typhoons have sent some 40,000 families to different temporary shelters across the province that disrupted classes of students when their schools are temporarily occupied.

The province of Albay has three existing permanent evacuation sites in Guinobatan, Camalig and Daraga towns which were donated by the Spanish government through the Agencia Española de Cooperaccion Internacional Para El Dessarollo (AECID) which costs P30 million for each building. It is fully equipped with the necessary facilities and the AECID is also working out plans to construct more.

The AECID buildings are also lent to school children as their temporary classrooms but the respective occupants during calamities are the real owners who in turn take good care of them.

Salceda further said that the residents at the extended and permanent danger zones of Mayon have been relocated as well as those who lost their homes from the super typhoon Reming on Nov. 30, 2006.

The province sits on a typhoon belt and evacuation due to Mayon Volcano is inevitable due to pre-emptive and pro-active response to achieve the zero-casualty goal of the province.

"We move people to a safe distance before Mayon erupts, we move people to stronger roofs before typhoons hit, and we move people to higher grounds before floods and lahar start to rampage our communities and that is the real essence of a zero casualty plan," Salceda explained.(PNA)