Iloilo: The conduct of pre-emptive evacuation has been very effective in achieving zero casualties and injuries, hence the need to invest in better evacuation centers, the head of Iloilo’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, PDRRMO head Cornelio Salinas emphasized the importance of improving evacuation centers for the convenience of evacuees. He highlighted the need for better hygiene and sanitation facilities, improved comfort rooms, ample water supply, and proper ventilation. Salinas also stressed the requirement for more modular tents to ensure privacy for vulnerable groups such as the sick, elderly, pregnant women, and small children.
Salinas pointed out that conducting forced evacuations involves significant operational costs and poses risks to responders. During Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi), Iloilo successfully evacuated 15,857 families, or 47,400 individuals, from 409 barangays in 32 local government units (LGUs). Similarly, during Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong), 379 families, or 1,221 persons, were evacuated from 17 barangays in five affected LGUs.
The latest data from the PDRRMO indicated that Tino impacted 51,570 families, equivalent to 162,571 individuals, from 825 barangays across 41 municipalities, resulting in one fatality due to drowning in Dumangas and one missing person following a rain-induced landslide in Janiuay town. A total of 161 houses were destroyed, while 7,701 sustained damage.
Salinas mentioned that a report would be submitted to the provincial government and relevant national agencies to guide rehabilitation and recovery efforts. The agricultural sector suffered losses amounting to PHP185.25 million, affecting 9,513 farmers and fisherfolk.
For Uwan, the PDRRMO recorded 3,669 families, or 12,339 persons, affected. Despite the challenges, Salinas expressed gratitude for overcoming the two super typhoons.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that Uwan affected 36,006 families, or 109,220 individuals, from 578 barangays in 52 LGUs in Western Visayas. The disturbance destroyed 25 houses and damaged 305 others.
As of 4 p.m. on Monday, over PHP1.46 million in humanitarian assistance had been distributed by the DSWD, local government units, and non-government organizations. The agency assured that it still has nearly PHP52 million in available relief resources, with PHP2.79 million in standby funds and PHP49.2 million in food and non-food items.
