By Emmanuel P. Solis
LEGAZPI CITY, (PNA) -– Three professors of the University of Oviero in Spain are now here to study the city’s implementation of its Ecological Solid Waste Management Program (ESWMP) and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program.
The three visitors — Professors Riji Burull, Leticia Santos Visande and Cojadonga Betegon – were accompanied by Norbuto Bongdelino, an official of the Agencia Espanola De Cooperacion Para El Desarullo (AECID), to the Office of the City Chief Executive on Wednesday.
Legazpi City Mayor Noel E. Rosal told his guests during the courtesy call that Legazpi City was recognized by the World Bank as one of the best local government units implementing the ESWMP.
Rosal said his administration is always focused on the implementation of the ESWMP and the DRRMP of the city as part of the mitigation measures on the effects of climate change.
He told the Spanish visitors that his administration is very thankful to the Spanish Government, which granted the city a sanitary landfill with modern facilities and amenities amounting to P100 million.
The facility, he said, now serves as a model environmental facility of this city and the only engineered landfill in the Bicol Region.
“The said landfill is now the main area for disposal of all the collected garbage in the entire city,” Rosal added.
The city chief executive said his administration, through its Disaster Risk Management Office, has conducted several trainings and seminars in the barangays, schools and hospitals on risk reduction management to pave the way for the constituents to have an additional knowledge on how to prevent the loss of lives and properties during natural calamities.
He said the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council has also conducted a zero-casualty training and upgrading for all rescue volunteers in the community for them to know how to use the proper procedures in evacuating people during calamities as well as to teach them about the communication protocol and early warning system.
The city administration, Rosal said, is always prepared for the distribution of relief goods to the people — including the transportation and communications to be used as part of the requirements during disasters.
He said the city will put up another additional Emergency Safe Evacuation Centers in some villages of this city to be used by the people during calamities.
Rosal said that in October 2012, the City Government of Legazpi, under the leadership of his wife — former Mayor Carmen Geraldine B. Rosal, received the annual Gawad Kalasag Award-City Category for the effective implementation of Republic Act 10121 or the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program.
He said part of the flood control program of the city is the rehabilitation of the Pili bridge and replacement of the old culvert-type canals into deep and wide line-box canals stretching to the downtown areas to avoid any clogging and massive flooding.
The rehabilitated waterways are part of the preparation for the installation of pumping stations at the mouth of the rivers in the villages of Victory, San Roque, Bonot and Dap-Dap.