The P36-million Regional Evacuation Center (REC) at Brgy. Vista Alegre, Bacolod City was inaugurated and turned over by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region 6 to the Bacolod City Government last Feb 14, 2020.
The inauguration and turnover were led by DPWH-6 Regional Director Lea N. Delfinado and accepted by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Officials from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD-6), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6), Department of Health (DOH-6), Bacolod City LGU, DPWH Regional Office 6, and DPWH-Bacolod City District Engineering Office witnessed the turnover.
“The center situated on a 3,000-square meter lot at Brgy. Vista Alegre can accommodate at least 30 families or 150 individuals,” Delfinado said.
“And like other RECs we have turned over, this, too has 8 buildings composed of accommodation building, office and infirmary building, laundry/drying area, male toilet and bath, female toilet and bath, pump room, generator room, and materials recovery facility. Also, part of the project is the provision of a cistern tank and drainage system,” she added.
Delfinado said the “DPWH is proud to have built a disaster-resilient, gender-sensitive and compliant to standards of a Regional Evacuation Center to enhance response capabilities to our communities in times of disasters and emergencies such as volcanic eruption, flooding, landslide, and other calamities.”
The DPWH official also said that the REC in Bacolod City is the 5th in Negros Occidental and 10th of 11 centers completed and turned over by DPWH in the region.
Other centers in Negros Occidental are in San Enrique, and cities of Bago, Kabankalan and Sagay.
District Engineer Abraham C. Villareal of DPWH-Bacolod City DEO said this is the first evacuation center provided for Bacolod City that may be used as a temporary shelter in times of calamities as well as a venue for various social events and training.
DPWH is continuously partnering with other National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs) and other concerned groups and organizations in providing infrastructure programs and services responsive to the needs of the people. (DPWH-6/RPAIO)
