Environment
Posted on 05:46 PM, July 02, 2015
By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman
Staying safe
THIS IS NOT to scare anyone, but recent movies like San Andreas, World War Z,The Apocalypse, The Day After Tomorrow, and Outbreak are apt reminders that disaster is coming. The question is: Are we ready?
As Metro Manila braces for the rainy season -- yet again -- with the accompanying flash floods and heavy traffic -- there is the threat of a strong earthquake looming over the metropolis. Experts say that the West Valley Fault, which passes through Quezon City, Marikina City, Taguig City, Pasig City, Muntinlupa City, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna, is ripe for a major shake, with predictions that thousands of buildings will collapse as a result. The question is: Are we ready?
A four-day trip to the Bicol Region on June 15-18 upon the invitation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed how, when it comes to disaster preparedness, Metro Manila is way behind Albay.
Located at the southern tip of Luzon, Albay has successfully achieved its goal of “zero” casualties during disasters.
The Bicol Region, like Japan, is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and strong typhoons. And like the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of pili and sili and the ever-elusive Mayon Volcano has devised ways to adapt and mitigate these disasters.
Albay Governor and former chairman of the Green Climate Fund Joey Salceda said during a courtesy call that successful disaster management should be “localized” and “community-based,” meaning, all the members of the community, not only the leaders, know what to do and not to do during disasters.
The region conducts community drills. It also has a weather mobile application anyone can download, and has installed real-time warning devices. The Albay local government has its essential 10-point checklists, which includes assessing the safety of schools and health facilities and upgrading them if necessary; allocating a separate budget for disasters; installing early warning systems; enforcing risk compliant building regulations; and protecting ecosystems and natural buffers, among others.
During the trip, reporters visited the region’s evacuation centers and Climate Change Academy (CCA), located at the Bicol University compound, the first of its kind in the country. It provides competency programs on disaster risk reduction, management and adaptation. Local government units and even groups from countries like Laos, Malaysia, Kenya, and Nepal, have been trained there. Mr. Salceda said the Nepal delegation visited CCA before the 7.3-magnitude earthquake devastated the country.
CLOWNS AND MAGIC
Meetings are boring -- CCA Executive Director Cedric Daep said there were few attendees whenever the local government conducted seminars and sessions on disaster risk management -- so they started commissioning clowns and magicians to help liven things up. The performers attend birthday parties, ask the party-goers disaster-related questions and give prizes to those who knew the answers. That way people of all ages, especially the children, would get lessons on disaster preparedness while also having fun.
Besides birthday parties, disaster risk reduction lessons are also infused in elementary school subjects, “whenever they are appropriate,” said Mr. Daep.
He said they are planning to conduct summer workshops about disasters next year.
GOING GREEN
Mr. Salceda -- the former co-chair of the United Nations Green Climate Fund -- knows the value of protecting the environment in relation with growing the economy. Under his administration, the province has increased its mangrove coverage by 30% and its forests by 28%. Mangroves -- aside from serving as fish nurseries -- protect the shoreline from strong waves and storm surges. Trees are important for the absorption of excess rainwater and the stability of slopes, leading to fewer floors and landslides. Mr. Salceda said that Metro Manila experiences flash floods because it favors concrete to trees.
While majority of the country sources its energy in coal -- the cheapest yet dirtiest energy source -- the Bicol Region focuses on renewable energy, although it is pricey in comparison. It has two geothermal power plants, Bacman and Tiwi.
The downside to this preference for renewables, Mr. Salceda told BusinessWorld, is that the expensive electricity discourages investors from setting up power-hungry businesses in Albay. They turn to tourism instead.
EVER-READY EVACUATION CENTERS
To achieve a goal of zero casualties, it is necessary to set up evacuation centers in the most strategic locations. The media group visited two of the provinces’ many evacuation centers.
One was the brand new evacuation center at the Gogon Central School in Legazpi City. It is a two-storey building with nine classrooms for regular school days. But during an emergency, the building serves as an evacuation center complete with a radio room for real-time alerts, shower units, a kitchen, laundry space, a machine room with a generator, and comfort rooms with Japanese-style squat toilets.
The Gogon Central School building is one of six school buildings within Albay funded by a ¥7.39-million grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Aside from partnering with the Japanese who know exactly how it feels to be vulnerable to disasters, Albay also has a partnership with Spain.
The P24.7-million Camalig school and evacuation shelter was built in 2010, funded by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID). The AECID Camalig center is furnished with water tanks, two comfort rooms with shower rooms, a common kitchen, and a generator set. The Camalig School and Evacuation Shelter took in members of the community for three months when the Mayon Volcano had a “soft eruption” last year.
In the words of Mr. Salcedo: “disaster management should be community-based.”
A four-day trip to the Bicol Region on June 15-18 upon the invitation of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showed how, when it comes to disaster preparedness, Metro Manila is way behind Albay.
Located at the southern tip of Luzon, Albay has successfully achieved its goal of “zero” casualties during disasters.
The Bicol Region, like Japan, is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and strong typhoons. And like the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of pili and sili and the ever-elusive Mayon Volcano has devised ways to adapt and mitigate these disasters.
Albay Governor and former chairman of the Green Climate Fund Joey Salceda said during a courtesy call that successful disaster management should be “localized” and “community-based,” meaning, all the members of the community, not only the leaders, know what to do and not to do during disasters.
The region conducts community drills. It also has a weather mobile application anyone can download, and has installed real-time warning devices. The Albay local government has its essential 10-point checklists, which includes assessing the safety of schools and health facilities and upgrading them if necessary; allocating a separate budget for disasters; installing early warning systems; enforcing risk compliant building regulations; and protecting ecosystems and natural buffers, among others.
During the trip, reporters visited the region’s evacuation centers and Climate Change Academy (CCA), located at the Bicol University compound, the first of its kind in the country. It provides competency programs on disaster risk reduction, management and adaptation. Local government units and even groups from countries like Laos, Malaysia, Kenya, and Nepal, have been trained there. Mr. Salceda said the Nepal delegation visited CCA before the 7.3-magnitude earthquake devastated the country.
CLOWNS AND MAGIC
Meetings are boring -- CCA Executive Director Cedric Daep said there were few attendees whenever the local government conducted seminars and sessions on disaster risk management -- so they started commissioning clowns and magicians to help liven things up. The performers attend birthday parties, ask the party-goers disaster-related questions and give prizes to those who knew the answers. That way people of all ages, especially the children, would get lessons on disaster preparedness while also having fun.
Besides birthday parties, disaster risk reduction lessons are also infused in elementary school subjects, “whenever they are appropriate,” said Mr. Daep.
He said they are planning to conduct summer workshops about disasters next year.
GOING GREEN
Mr. Salceda -- the former co-chair of the United Nations Green Climate Fund -- knows the value of protecting the environment in relation with growing the economy. Under his administration, the province has increased its mangrove coverage by 30% and its forests by 28%. Mangroves -- aside from serving as fish nurseries -- protect the shoreline from strong waves and storm surges. Trees are important for the absorption of excess rainwater and the stability of slopes, leading to fewer floors and landslides. Mr. Salceda said that Metro Manila experiences flash floods because it favors concrete to trees.
While majority of the country sources its energy in coal -- the cheapest yet dirtiest energy source -- the Bicol Region focuses on renewable energy, although it is pricey in comparison. It has two geothermal power plants, Bacman and Tiwi.
The downside to this preference for renewables, Mr. Salceda told BusinessWorld, is that the expensive electricity discourages investors from setting up power-hungry businesses in Albay. They turn to tourism instead.
EVER-READY EVACUATION CENTERS
To achieve a goal of zero casualties, it is necessary to set up evacuation centers in the most strategic locations. The media group visited two of the provinces’ many evacuation centers.
One was the brand new evacuation center at the Gogon Central School in Legazpi City. It is a two-storey building with nine classrooms for regular school days. But during an emergency, the building serves as an evacuation center complete with a radio room for real-time alerts, shower units, a kitchen, laundry space, a machine room with a generator, and comfort rooms with Japanese-style squat toilets.
The Gogon Central School building is one of six school buildings within Albay funded by a ¥7.39-million grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Aside from partnering with the Japanese who know exactly how it feels to be vulnerable to disasters, Albay also has a partnership with Spain.
The P24.7-million Camalig school and evacuation shelter was built in 2010, funded by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID). The AECID Camalig center is furnished with water tanks, two comfort rooms with shower rooms, a common kitchen, and a generator set. The Camalig School and Evacuation Shelter took in members of the community for three months when the Mayon Volcano had a “soft eruption” last year.
In the words of Mr. Salcedo: “disaster management should be community-based.”
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