DSWD Sec. Corazon Soliman hands the Certificate of Turn-Over to the local government unit of Sta. Cruz, Laguna for the newly constructed Php19.4M evacuation center located in Brgy. Duhat. to Sta. Cruz Mayor Domingo Panganiban and Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez.

The said facility is funded both by the DSWD and the LGU to serve as a safe hub for disaster survivors in the municipality and neighboring towns especially during floods caused by the swelling of the waters of Laguna Bay.

(From L-R: Sta. Cruz Vice Mayor Louie De Leon, Gov. Hernandez, Mayor Panganiban, DSWD Sec. Soliman and DSWD IV-A Regional Director Leticia Diokno)***

 

 

DSWD turns over Sta Cruz evacuation center to LGU

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) formally turned over to the local government unit (LGU) of Sta. Cruz the newly-constructed Php19.4M evacuation center in Brgy Duhat, Sta Cruz, Laguna last October 27, 2014.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman awarded the Turn Over Certificate to Sta Cruz Mayor Domingo Panganiban.

The construction of the three-story center, which was jointly funded by DSWD (Php9.4M) and the local government of Sta Cruz (Php10M in the form of cash, materials and manpower), started in October 2013 and completed in July this year.  It has a total floor area of 2,139 sq. meters and can accommodate at least 1,000 evacuees.

The center features include separate rooms for each family-evacuee and rooms for psycho-social processing, breastfeeding, child-friendly spaces, storage rooms for relief goods and office spaces for disaster response-related agencies and camp management. Its third level is an open space where tents can be put up to accommodate more families.

“Ito ang nagpapatotoo na ang pagtugon sa mga sakuna ay responsibilidad ng parehong pambansa at lokal na pamahalaan. Sa pangunguna ng lokal na pamahalaan, umaasa ang pambansa na handa at mayroong leadership sa baba sa paghahanda sa sakuna at sa pagsigurong zero-casualty sa panahon ng disaster,” Sec. Soliman said in her message during the ceremony.

She also added that this evacuation center ensures that the education of children during times of disasters will not be hampered because the schools will no longer be used as evacuation centers.

“Sinisiguro natin na sa pagkakaroon ng ganitong proyekto, patuloy ang pag-aaral ng mga bata pero nasisiguro pa rin nating nasa ligtas silang lugar,” said Sec. Soliman.

Mayor Panganiban thanked the national government for the realization of this evacuation center for the residents of Sta. Cruz and even for residents of nearby towns. He also gave a commitment that the municipal government would provide funding for the operation and maintenance of the center.

As part of the turn-over agreement, the LGU will organize evacuation center management teams, develop evacuation center management plan, train volunteers on camp management, provide evacuees with basic requirements and assess their needs among others.

The DSWD, on the other hand, will pre-position at least 1,000 family food packs in the facility and replenish them during disaster operations and provide technical assistance and resource augmentation to the LGU on evacuation center management.***