Congress urged to prioritize evacuation centers bill

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate is urging Congress to prioritize House Bill 5259, also known as the Evacuation Centers Bill, to establish permanent evacuation centers across the country.

Zarate emphasized the importance of having dedicated evacuation centers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure social distancing can be maintained during calamities.

He highlighted that the current reliance on schools and basketball courts as temporary shelters is no longer sufficient, particularly as these venues are often occupied by quarantine facilities for COVID-19 patients.

The recent typhoons Quinta and Rolly have exacerbated the situation, leaving areas struggling to evacuate residents because their usual evacuation sites are already in use for pandemic response.

Zarate stressed that building permanent, purpose-built evacuation centers is crucial for the safety and recovery of disaster victims.