The city’s chief public safety officer is proposing to establish a mobile command center as an alternative once the main one could not function.
“This is one matter we discussed with the mayor, which the security cluster backed. It is already programmed in the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) the need for a mobile center,” Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) chief Angel Sumagaysay said in a recently conducted press conference.
The mobile command center will also serve as the back-up if there would be tragedies with mass injuries or during festivals and national conferences. “During big disasters and big events, the mobile command center will be very useful,” he said.
Sumagaysay hopes that the city government will prioritize the mobile command center.
“What if PSSCC and CDRRMO will black out, how can we reach the high authorities and the national government for help? How can we inform them of our situation? That is the usefulness of the mobile command center, as communication is very important especially during disasters and events,” he said.
He also revealed that the said aim has long been planned, and he hopes that this will be established already.
Meanwhile, Mayor Sara Duterte mandated the security cluster to conduct further research regarding the effects if a volcanic eruption occurs.
Sumagaysay revealed that the disaster preparation for volcanic eruption was not included during the city’s drills of the rescue and security unit. However, they are already doing some preparations and drills in case that happens.
He also reiterated what Renato Solidum, executive director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs), said during a press conference that earthquakes might trigger a dormant volcano such as the Mt. Apo.
“That’s why we need to be prepared,” he said.
