A new house bill has been proposed by Batangas 6th District Rep. Ralph Recto on Thursday renewing his call for the funding and construction of at least one multi-purpose gym in all municipalities and cities to serve as an evacuation hubs during times of calamity or disaster.
The bill stated Recto’s desire to build the facilities considering that the country is prone to typhoons, with an average of 20 tropical cyclones every year.
House Bill 2826 states “schools have traditionally been utilized as default evacuation centers in times of calamities, disasters, conflicts and emergencies. Schools, however, are not well equipped to accommodate evacuees since they lack the necessary facilities for displaced families.”
Recto further explained in his bill that using classrooms as temporary shelters for evacuees displaces students and affects their education. He cited instances when localities are severely affected and cannot immediately vacate school premises because their houses have not yet been repaired or rebuilt.
“This relegates students to makeshift classrooms that may not be conducive to learning. Moreover, its cost can take away from the meager budget what could be better utilized for more permanent solutions to problems brought about by disasters” the bill said.
Emphasizing that typhoons become stronger due to climate change, Recto said seeking temporary solutions to the displacement of families by using schools as evacuation centers must be stopped.
He underscored that students’ learning should not be traded off with protecting lives and having a constructed facility serves as a permanent solution and aid to people in times of emergencies.
