Bacolod City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental will construct evacuation dormitories with a 5,000 capacity at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz disclosed recently.
In a press briefing, Diaz said that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the construction of the evacuation center to be a priority.
The dormitories will be dual purpose, since the 5-story building can be also used to house training participants and also athletes when there are big sport events.
The provincial government is targeting to construct 10 evacuation dormitory buildings, complete mess hall, comfort rooms, and water facilities.
Every building, which can accommodate 500 people, is estimated to have a budget of P50 million, according to Diaz.
As to the source of the budget, he said they have savings that can be used for the first module.
He, however, admitted that the space remaining at the Panaad Park may not be enough for the 10 buildings.
Diaz said they will give an option to Capitol employees and others who purchased lots inside the Panaad Park, to swap those with subdivision lots at the Manayawsayaw in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, which is owned by the provincial government.
If that works then we have more space (at the Panaad Park) for the evacuation dormitories, he added.
Diaz also said that the provincial government is preparing to pre-position the recently acquired 20 ambulances in various local government units.
“These will be manned by our emergency response teams under the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. We trained the drivers and the teams,” he added.
Diaz said the operations of the ambulance units are being managed by the province’s 911 operations center located at the Panaad Park and Stadium.
“We hired and trained the right people and they are to be deployed wherever they are needed,” he added.
We will also place vehicles and personnel along the highways to respond to all vehicular accidents, Diaz further said.
This will assure Negrenses that in case of emergencies, they will be deployed and respond, he said.
The provincial government is also set to purchase another passenger bus, as evacuation transport during emergency evacuation, and for utilization by the Capitol employees. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star)