Senator Loren Legarda
stressed on the importance of disseminating, using, heeding and updating
geo-hazard maps to avoid exposing communities to disasters.
Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change,
made the call following reports that geo-hazard maps were ignored in some
areas, thus resulting to a large number of casualties.
“Geo-hazard maps will tell us where it is unsafe to build
homes. It is only logical not to build subdivisions in flood-prone areas or
construct buildings along a fault line. We must use these maps to avoid
exposing our homes and our people to disaster risks,” she said.
In the geo-hazard map, many parts of Compostela Valley
are shaded in red, which means these areas are highly susceptible to
landslides.
“It is important that we have these geo-hazard maps, and
that these maps should be applied, not only to the regional and provincial
level, but also to the local municipalities. Maybe it would even be prudent to
ensure that citizens are aware of the vulnerabilities of the communities they
live in. It is their right to know the risks present so that they can decide to
move to safer places, which should be supported by the local government. In
fact, LGUs should already be relocating to safer ground those families and
communities in high-risk areas,” the Senator stressed.
“We knew about Typhoon Pablo and we were warned. It is a
matter of making our laws work and implementing the disaster mitigation plans
and programs on the ground. We also have to update the geo-hazard maps and
integrate risk information in development planning, increase investments in
improving critical infrastructure, and institutionalize effective and efficient
early warning systems that will allow people at risk to respond immediately,
therefore averting deaths in disasters,” Legarda concluded.
“Geo-hazard maps will tell us where it is unsafe to build homes. It is only logical not to build subdivisions in flood-prone areas or construct buildings along a fault line." - Loren Legarda
ReplyDeleteToo many homes have been built on bad locations. This is great because we are now able to protect people from danger.
“We knew about Typhoon Pablo and we were warned. It is a matter of making our laws work and implementing the disaster mitigation plans and programs on the ground."
DeleteAng galing na ng mga LGU's ngayon..malungkot lang talaga na maraming namatay dahil sa illegal logging at ng mining. Kailangan lang ng gobyerno na ma-iimplement ang lahat ng mga laws na ginawa ni Loren.
The country have very good laws. Pero kadalasan po ay sa LGU nawawalan ng halaga ang mga batas dahil sa hindi pagpapatupad.
ReplyDeleteI hope, seryosohin na nga ng buong bansa ito mga geo-hazard maps. Ginawa yan for a reason. Kug di natin ibigyang pansin yan, pwede tayo mapahamak.
ReplyDeleteI felt sad when I heard about the deaths. Sana maging lesson na satin itong lahat. Sana mabigyan ng education/awareness ang tao tungkol sa maps na yan.
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