DANGER ZONES AND HAZARD MAPS

 DANGER ZONES AND HAZARD MAPS

In the aftermath of the recent landslide tragedy in Antipolo City, a local official said that they have been offering alternative safe housing to the residents of the danger zone, but they did not take the offer, and they just stayed where they were. I think that it is only in the Philippines where people in authority would stand down in an impasse like that, even if it is already clear that the uncooperative residents were already facing certain death.

The Antipolo City official said that they actually had housing units that were ready for the residents to transfer to, but they nevertheless refused to move. I do not doubt what that official said, but I am very much curious to know the reason why those people refused to move. Was the housing offered not to their liking? Was it substandard? What was wrong with it? More often than not, the prospective transferees would refuse because the housing offered does not have power and water or does not have opportunities for livelihood. Putting it the other way around, they would not want to leave their means of livelihood where they are now.

Whatever the reasons are, I think that forced evacuations are already in order if the LGU could really prove beyond reasonable doubt that the location in question is really a danger zone, as determined by reliable scientific research, and as shown in official hazard maps. Otherwise, it is the duty of the LGU to convince, if not force the said residents to move to move, under threat of some penalties. In a manner of speaking, that would not be too much different from forcing residents around active volcanoes to leave the perimeter zones.

In fairness however to the prospective refugees, the government also has to do its part in ensuring that they would be well provided with the resources that are either equal to, or greater than what they have left behind. Truth to tell, the government is not famous in providing not only the basic necessities but also the other needs such as access to transportation and of course, mobile and internet signals.

As we already know it, the danger zones are not just the sites near the mountains where landslides could happen. As a matter of fact, flashfloods could also happen in those areas. Just to make everyone safe, let us not forget the coastal and island areas where tsunamis and storm surges could still happen, as well as rising sea levels that could swallow entire villages. By the way, who is really in charge of making the hazard maps? Is it the LGUs? The DILG? The NAMRIA? The DENR? The DILG? We should know who is in charge, so that we will know who is responsible. IKE SENERES/09-11-2024

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PHILIPPINE INCLUSIVE SYSTEM FOR COLLEGE ENTRY OF STUDENTS

 PHILIPPINE INCLUSIVE SYSTEM FOR COLLEGE ENTRY OF STUDENTS My advocacy partner Mr. Roi Baluyot and I have created the Philippine Inclusive System for College Entry of Students (PISCES), for the purpose of making it easier for prospective students from the marginalized sectors to enter any of the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) that are located all over the Philippines. Although tuition is free in these SUCs, many prospective students find it difficult to proceed, because of possible expenses that they could not afford, such as books, learning materials, snacks, board and lodging, specifically for dormitory fees if they are from out of town. This idea started when Mr. Baluyot informed me that there are some UP alumni groups in the United States who are concerned about the fact that the the majority of the students who are presently enrolled in the UP campuses right now are mostly coming from the upper classes. That reality defeats the purpose of UP becoming a "university of ...
Read more

PREPARING FOR USAID PROJECT WITHDRAWALS

PREPARING FOR USAID PROJECT WITHDRAWALS The recent foreign policy shifts under returning U.S. President Donald Trump have significantly impacted global development aid, including USAID’s programs in the Philippines. With the United States reassessing its foreign assistance policies, it is almost certain that USAID funding for the Philippines will be reduced . This could lead to the slowdown—or even the complete shutdown—of various projects that have been instrumental in supporting economic development, governance, health, education, and infrastructure in the country. A Call for Proactive Government Action The Philippine government cannot afford to wait until the last minute to respond. The potential withdrawal of USAID projects must be addressed now , not when funding officially stops. A well-planned transition strategy is necessary to prevent gaps in critical services and ensure that the country’s development momentum is not disrupted. Steps the Government Must Take Immediate...
Read more

TELEMEDICINE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL

 TELEMEDICINE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL Marinduque Governor Presby Velasco has a wonderful plan to make telemedicine available to all the 218 Barangay Health Units (BHUs) in his island province, and I am very happy to help him with the project as his Information and Communications Technology (ICT) consultant.  Although the technology for telemedicine is already available in the market, it appears that no province has yet implemented a province wide telemedicine project that could connect patients from the grassroots level to the doctors at the municipal halls and the provincial capitol. By doing that, Governor Velasco will be able to achieve the goal of providing universal access to healthcare to everyone in his province. Although the project might appear to be complex, it is actually designed with a simple plan that would make it easy to implement. The one part of the plan is to install internet connectivity in each of the BHUs, using satellite or fiber, depending on what is av...
Read more