QC boosts info drive on hazards of living near danger zones

To achieve zero casualties – or at least reduce the number – during disasters, Quezon City (QC) authorities said it will strengthen its information drive on the hazards of living near the vicinities declared as “danger zones.”

Joselito Cabungcal, chief of the Quezon City Engineering Department (QCED), said that the main key in saving more lives is for the local government units (LGUs), the agencies like the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to join hands in driving out informal squatters from rivers, ponds, canals, esteros and easements of other major waterways.

To prevent a similar Commonwealth incident several years ago, the DPWH, MMDA and the LGUs should regularly coordinate to discourage informal settlers from building any form of structure near the danger zones, he said. Several years ago, a wall along Commonwealth Avenue collapsed and pinned to death three persons due to the strong current of rain water.

After being rescued by various emergency groups, Cabungcal said that some informal settlers have returned to their shanties located in the vicinity of the danger zones again putting their lives in peril.

Tadeo Palma, secretary to the Quezon City mayor, said that the presence of millions of squatter families near the banks of waterways had given the government and volunteer rescue teams difficult times during typhoons, earthquakes and other disasters.