As the country observes the National Disaster Consciousness Month this July, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is calling on all local government units (LGUs) to revisit the geohazard maps distributed by the national government and use them as guide for disaster preparedness.
Environment Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the LGUs should take a look at the geohazard maps prepared by the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and take note of areas declared as highly susceptible for flooding and landslide, especially now that the rainy season has begun.
“Let us not react after the disaster has come and gone. Let us act now and prevent the possible destruction it can cause on lives and property,” Paje said.
The environment chief said the LGUs can use the maps as guide for strategic decisions such as those on land zoning and in determining sites for relocation and communities during natural disasters.
The MGB has already completed and distributed some 85,000 copies of geohazard maps showing landslide and flood-prone areas on a scale of 1:50,000 to LGUs nationwide.
A more detailed mapping of cities and municipalities, at a scale of 1:10,000, is to be completed within the year, while the three-dimensional (3D) version is also already in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, Paje called on the public to make a “more conscious and collective effort” to adopt a lifestyle that would reverse environmental degradation and mitigate the negative impacts of disasters.
“Efforts can be small and personal, such as minding where you throw your trash, patronizing eco-friendly goods and services, and not wasting water and energy. They can also be on a larger scale like organizing community cleanups or participating in tree planting activities under the National Greening Program,” Paje said.
“What counts the most is that efforts are sustained or done regularly, and not ningas-kugon.”
The DENR head pointed out that most of the damage caused by disasters “result from human activities that show blatant disregard for the environment.”
While natural phenomenon is uncontrollable, Paje warned that “our thinning forests, the unsustainable conversion and use of land, and pollution that clogs our waterways and kills our rivers and seas indeed aggravate the impacts of disasters on lives and property, especially when they lead to erosion and flooding.”
“What is worse is that climate change makes extreme weather events as the new normal, so we can expect the hazards and risks to increase, too,” he added.
The National Disaster Consciousness Month has been celebrated every year since 1999 by virtue of Executive Order No. 137. This year’s theme, “Ligtas na Bayan, Maunlad na Pamayanan,” focuses on safeguarding communities from adverse effects of natural disasters to promote sustainable development.
0 Comments
Oldest