Put up of warning signs in risk-prone areas pushed

BAGUIO CITY – (10 February 2021) – The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance requiring the installation of warning signages in all identified risk-prone areas in the city.

Local legislators stated that there shall be warning signs installed and maintained in all identified and would be identified risk-prone areas in all barangays and other areas in the city as part of the city’s information and education campaign to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that would compromise the safety of life and limb.

The council stipulated that the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (BDRRMCs) shall coordinate together with the concerned government agencies on the signage installations and updating and identifying of risk-prone areas in the city.

Further, the information on the warning signages shall be written in English with the corresponding Filipino translation to be designed by the city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) in collaboration with other concerned agencies.

According to the council, the CDRRMO shall allot in its annual budget the required budget for the continuous implementation of the pertinent provisions of the ordinance.

The council stipulated that there is a need to institutionalize the putting up of warning signages in all identified landslide, flood and sinking prone areas in the city to give spirit to the previous declarations on the importance of the safety of life and limb.

Earlier, the State declared as a policy to recognize and strengthen the capacities of the local government units and communities in mitigating and preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the impact of natural and man-made disasters as enunciated under the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

The law aggressively promotes the development of capacities in disaster management at the individual, organizational, and institutional levels where one of the 4 priority thematic areas prescribed by the same is prevention and mitigation.

Section 280 or Ordinance No. 18, series of 2016 otherwise known as the city’s Environment code mandated the development and institutionalization of early warning systems which stated that apart from those prescribed by law, the CDRRMO shall coordinate the installation of early warning systems and devices in all identified high-risk areas in the city. Where necessary, it shall design and define specific early warning systems and devices for the information of the public.

The council added that there is also a need to expound and strengthen the pronouncements contained in the aforesaid code to ensure its full and effective implementation for the greater welfare of the majority of the populace that inhabited the city’s 128 barangays.

The Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) identified the areas susceptible to landslide, flood and sinking areas in the various barangays and other areas in the city and that the agency was able to complete the map for the landslide-prone areas. – Dexter A. See