KIDAPAWAN CITY, (PNA) — North Cotabato province will soon have its modern rescue and emergency equipment that could be used in times of emergency or calamities, the office of the provincial governor said.
A budget of P16 million had been earmarked by the province for the procurement of equipment that include six collapsible rubber boats with outboard engines, an aluminum-hull rescue boat with a 30-passenger capacity, and alarm systems for riverside villages in Alamada and Carmen towns.
About 12 towns of North Cotabato have been, for many years, vulnerable to floods and landslides.
Aside from natural calamities, the province had been hit by man-made calamities like bombings and armed conflict that involved lawless elements like the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters attacks in border barangays of North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
Last June, a major earthquake hit the province with Carmen town as the epicenter, destroying hundreds of houses and infrastructures.
Among the most vulnerable towns to man-made calamities are the PALMA area or Pigcawayan, Alamada, Libungan, Midsayap and Aleosan towns as well as the towns of Pikit, Kabacan, Mlang, Tulunan, Makilala, Magpet.
The PALMA area had been repeatedly harassed by Moro bandits while the Magpet, ARakan, President Roxas and Makilala towns were subjected to New Peoples Army harassment.
Accompanying the equipment is the massive training for personnel who will handle and operate the facilities thus the provincial government, according to Gov. Emmylou Mendoza will help train personnel.
Mendoza said North Cotabato was a nominee to the national government’s 2013 Gawad Kalasag search for excellence in disaster response preparedness and humanitarian assistance.