BAGUIO CITY – The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance mandating the implementation of pre-emptive evacuation measures, voluntary or otherwise, in emergency situations and providing guidelines for the said purpose.
Under the proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Peter Fianza, the local government, through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO), will always continue to implement preemptive evacuation measures in times of emergencies. It shall always be worked out to be voluntary and that forced evacuation shall only be resorted to in the most compelling circumstances.
The ordinance tasked the LDRRMO to organize and conduct trainings and orientation on possible natural hazards, vulnerabilities, and climate change risks, as well as knowledge management activities on disaster risk reduction and management in the city at least once during summer prioritizing the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee members.
The training and orientation activities and information dissemination shall be intensified and made at the onset of the rainy season.
The ordinance pointed out that pre-emptive evacuation shall be initiated when reliable forecasts and early warning systems indicate a high probability of severe weather conditions; when an eminent threat to life and property is identified even before the actual onset of the hazard and in areas with high concentration of vulnerable populations, such as low-lying areas prone to floodings, densely populated urban centers, or barangays with historical data indicating high disaster risk.
The ordinance stipulated that the BDRRMCs shall establish a community advisory board inclusive of representatives from vulnerable sectors to participate in the planning, decision-making and evaluation processes of evacuation policies and procedures. These shall be integrated into the barangay DRRM plans.
According to the proposal, all evacuation procedures and policies shall be implemented without discrimination based on risk, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or socio-economic status. It shall include specific measures to ensure equitable treatment.
The ordinance mandated the integration of human rights education into all training programs for personnel involved in evacuation operations. The said training includes non-discrimination principles and cultural sensitivity.
In the event that local residents refuse to leave their homes, insist on staying within the endangered area or return to their homes or affected areas without an order allowing them to do so, the local government and the mobilized unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) or other uniformed personnel, together with at least one representative of the barangay whenever possible may use such physical force as commensurate under the circumstances without discrimination and with conscious attention to the needs of vulnerable sectors such as children, women, elderly and persons with disabilities, with the goal of ensuring their safety.
Any person found violating the pertinent provisions of the ordinance shall be penalized with a fine of PhP1,000 or six hours of community service for the first offense, a fine of PhP2,000 and/or eight hours of community service for the second offense and a fine of PhP5,000 and/or 12 hours of community service for the third offense.. by Dexter A. See
