DPWH designs buildings, infra to withstand 250 kph storms

SENDAI, Japan—Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, who is part of the 61-member Philippine delegation to the United Nations 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in this northeastern Japanese city, said the agency has enhanced its disaster preparedness and response programs and has adopted the “Building Back Better” strategy in implementing the agency’s projects, particularly those in disaster-prone areas.

This year, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has set aside a total of P240.97 billion for its infrastructure program, including nearly P11.7 billion for Eastern Visayas, which was ravaged by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in December 2013.

“Under the DPWH disaster resiliency program, we have upgraded the designs of classrooms, government buildings and even national roads to withstand more severe typhoons with 250 kilometers per hour winds,” Singson told the Inquirer.

The DPWH head also said the agency has developed comprehensive plans to mitigate flooding in communities and make them more disaster-resilient.

The department, one of the line agencies belonging to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), also subscribed to the reactive-to-proactive shift in dealing with calamities, which is being pushed by the council.

The same program calls for the use of geo-hazard maps and data from the state’s National Operational Assessment of Hazards (Noah) project in infrastructure planning and disaster risk reduction measures.

Early this year, Singson issued Department Order No. 15, otherwise known as the “Guidelines to Ensure Disaster Preparedness of DPWH Field Offices” in promptly responding to typhoons and other natural hazards.

Under the directive, the agency’s regional and district engineering offices nationwide are tasked to activate their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management teams immediately upon advice of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service (Pagasa) that a typhoon has entered the Philippine territory.