Sulu eyes emergency operation center

Once the infrastructure project is completed, the province will be able to improve the government’s ability to plan for and respond to potential compound emergencies, whether man-made or natural disasters.

JOLO, Sulu — Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan has donated 500 square meters of private land to the Bangsamoro Government’s Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence for the construction of a P20 million Emergency Operation Center in Sulu.

Tan said the EOC will provide and coordinate warnings for disaster evacuation, asset inventory and emergency services integration.

“The establishment of an EOC in the province will allow the BARMM government to quickly deploy emergency responders and relief assistance in the event of a disaster,” Tan said.

He disclosed that the EOC will act as a crucial nerve center for timely situation reports and will also serve as early warning dissemination to lessen hazards’ vulnerabilities and risks, manage their effects, and facilitate resource mobilization during emergencies and disasters.

The governor added that once the infrastructure project is completed, the province will be able to improve the government’s ability to plan for and respond to potential compound emergencies, whether man-made or natural disasters.

Based on the standard operating procedure flow, local government units would take the lead in their respective areas. With this, the operation center would support the provincial DRRM in the province.

The Provincial Emergency Operations Center will serve as the primary hub for coordination in the town during an emergency, carrying out and coordinating emergency management tasks.

For his part, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Ministry of the Interior and Local Government head Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo said the Bangsamoro Appropriations Act 2023 has provided a budget of P20 million for the construction of the EOC and is expected to be completed this year.

Other EOCs that have been approved and have budgets for this year include the Special Geographic Area and Lanao del Sur.