MANKAYAN, Benguet – The State-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will be bankrolling the put up of two state-of-the-art evacuation centers in the two northern towns of the province to help enhance the disaster risk reduction and management response of the concerned local governments and to provide additional venues for the conduct of numerous related programs, projects and activities.
Benguet caretaker congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap, who made representations with PAGCOR for the inclusion of Benguet in the areas where evacuation centers will be erected, disclosed that Mankayan and Buguias will be the initial towns where the PAGCOR-funded evacuation centers will be constructed to enhance the disaster risk reduction and management response of local governments in the northern part of the province, especially during the occurrence of natural and man-made calamities.
On January 6, 2022, PAGCOR officials, together with Congressman Yap and the concerned provincial and municipal officials will be conducting a soft launching of the proposed evacuation centers to jumpstart the construction of the same in time for the rainy season.
The Mankayan municipal government was able to identify a 2,000-square meter lot within a portion of the local government’s property in Sitio Bayoyo, Barangay Tabio as the site for its evacuation center while the Buguias municipal government is still finalizing the documents for the identified property where its evacuation center will be erected with the use of the assistance from the gaming corporation.
Earlier, PAGCOR issued a certificate of availability of funds stating among others that the initial P25 million or 50 percent of the P50 million earmarked for the construction of the evacuation and multipurpose center in Mankayan will be downloaded to the municipal government to jumpstart the implementation of the project while the balance will be released depending on the accomplished for the put up of the evacuation center.
Mayor Frenzel Ayong expressed his gratitude to Congressman Yap for prioritizing the municipality as a recipient of the multi-million evacuation center that will serve as an added boost in the ongoing efforts of the local government to provide effective and efficient disaster risk reduction and management response during the occurrence of natural and man-made calamities and emergency situations.
He pointed out that the put up of the evacuation center will definitely provide available training facilities that will be used by the concerned government agencies and the local government in strengthening the skills and knowledge of officials and employees to be able to respond to the needs of the people on the ground not only during emergency situations but also in ordinary days to support the implementation of their respective programs, projects and activities for the welfare of the greater majority of the populace.
Ayong stated that the local government will closely monitor the implementation of the project to ensure that it will conform to the prescribed project specifications that will ensure the completion of a quality infrastructure project in the municipality. By HENT
