By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has allotted P36 million budget for the construction of an evacuation center in Bacolod City.
This was disclosed by Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya on Friday in a media interview at his office in Barangay Villamonte.
Gasataya said he has already talked with Mayor Evelio Leonardia to request a property with an area of about 3,000 square meters for the establishment of the center.
He said the Mayor was amenable to the project and the DPWH will have to coordinate with the city as to the requirements so the local government can avail of the project, which is intended to be utilized within the year.
“This will be a multi-storey building with facilities for disaster preparedness. The building itself can also be used for the conduct of trainings if there are no calamities,” Gasataya said.
He also added the new facility must be constructed in an area where it couldn’t be reached by floods during heavy rains and must also withstand strong typhoons and earthquakes.
Meanwhile, Gasataya said he discussed recently with the DPWH on how to assist the city in terms of their implementation of the anti-jaywalking ordinance.
DPWH has committed to cooperate with the city by painting all the pedestrian lanes of the national roads, he stressed.
The DPWH will also ensure pavement markings on all national roads./WDJ