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Maluso gets evacuation center

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Philippines
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Govt. Philippines
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ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb. 20 (PIA) --The Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance Inc. (ZABIDA) turned-over the Php2 million -worth Evacuation Center to Maluso town officials in a ceremony held Tuesday.

Ramon Alvarez, Manos Unidas Asia Pacific in-charge, said that he was impressed at how ZABIDA and NGOs like the Nagdilaab Foundation put together the civil society organizations, local government units, and other stakeholders to help realize the project, but hoped that Maluso will “never need an evacuation center,” instead use the facility for disaster-preparedness and other purposes.

“I’m very impressed with the work that they do in getting the authorities, the LGUs working together as a family, as a community towards the betterment of the people. And definitely I will share it back to my colleagues in Spain,” he said.

While the facility has not served its purpose yet, Alvarez encouraged authorities to make good use of the evacuation center facility for other purposes, affirming what Miriam Suacito of Nagdilaab Foundation Inc. earlier suggested to use it for training, seminars, and other activities for the community.

The facility is located at a new government center being developed at Sitio Camanggaan, a few kilometers within Barangay Townsite in Maluso, Basilan.

ZABIDA President Fr. Angel Calvo, CMF, expressed his gratitude to various people and organizations who contributed to the project like the AICID, the Cooperacciones Española, especially to the people of Maluso, among others, “who are dreaming and building Maluso as it should be.”

“Do not forget that our task is to accompany you. The challenge is for you and the mayor, the officials, and the residents of Maluso to take the responsibility to manage and make use of the facility towards achieving its purpose, not for evacuation but for pre-emptive measures to avoid conflict and disasters.

Maluso has a history of internal armed conflicts that resulted to the forced evacuation of some of its people in remote barangays where remnants of the notorious Abu Sayyaf and other bandits are operating.

Its coastal communities are also prone to sea surges and big waves during monsoons and other extreme weather conditions that destroy stilt houses built of light materials.

The contingent of Manos Unidas also paid courtesy visits to Basilan Governor Jim Hataman-Salliman and Lamitan City Mayor Rosita Furigay and Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay. (ALT/RVC/PIA9-Basilan)