Palawan disaster council prepares for rainy season

By Victoria Asuncion S. Mendoza

Saturday 19th of May 2012

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, May 19 (PIA) -- The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office (PDRRMO) in Palawan is preparing for the rainy season with the installation of Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) instruments and the geo-tagging of flood-prone areas.

This was disclosed recently by Atty. Winston Gonzalez, Chief of Provincial Legal Office and concurrent PDRRMO Chief in a meeting of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Officers.

FEWS instrument is a solar-powered automatic water-level sensor that would enable people to prepare and react quickly and effectively through its two alert systems.

Gonzalez said that they are aiming to finish installation of 20 more FEWS before June in flood-prone barangays in Aborlan, Quezon, Roxas, Bataraza and Brooke’s Point. Barangay Elvita in Narra municipality is the first to receive the instrument.

The PDRRMO is also geo-tagging areas that are vulnerable to floods, landslides or flashfloods through the use of modern technologies like mobile phones, tablets and computers. The information recorded in the “geo-tagging” of target areas will improve disaster management and coordination, as well as and develop its situational awareness capability.

The essential equipment for rescue and evacuation like motorized rubber boats and dinghy boats have already been pre-positioned in strategic areas.

Simultaneously, the PDRRMO is also prioritizing the distribution of anti-dengue solution in public schools in time for the implementation of Brigada Eskwela in support of the campaign against dengue. (LBR/VSM-PIA4B Palawan)