MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has urged for the creation of a durable evacuation centers in areas vulnerable to natural disasters considering the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas recently.
During the situation briefing with government officials in Batangas City, President Duterte has ordered a “simultaneous” construction of evacuation centers especially for disaster-prone areas such as Samar, Leyte, Isabela.
“I hope that you can finish it before my term ends. I want projects that are doable and can be finished during my term,” he said. “The evacuation centers should accommodate massive numbers of evacuees where comfort rooms for men and women are segregated.”
“I was reading some materials last night that there seems to be an eruption of volcanoes around the world. And so we are no exception,” he added.
President Duterte also said that he was “very satisfied” with government’s response to the rumbling Taal Volcano as he also lauded the local governments in Batangas for their “splendid response.”
“I am very satisfied with the response of everybody and the fact that no one was killed and no one is really very sick,” Duterte said. “I’m happy that we responded well and that we’re here, especially the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and the health authorities.”
President Duterte have also assured local officials that they could speak to members of his Cabinet “anytime” on state affairs.
Set in the center of a picturesque lake, Taal is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines with an eruption record of 34 times in the past 5 centuries.
The country is part of the Ring of Fire, a 40,000-kilometer zone on the edges of the Pacific Ocean along which are arrayed hundreds of active underwater volcanoes. Most of the world’s earthquakes occur on the Ring of Fire./PN
