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Bacolod City, Philippines Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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CLMMRH chief supports
city in disaster planning

BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Dr. Julius Drilon, chiefof the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City, yesterday said he fully supports the plan of the Bacolod City government to strengthen its disaster planning and management, because every city, municipality, and province all over the country should have one in place.

Drilon said it is not a far-fetched possibility that disasters may happen in Bacolod City, since the Philippines had experienced the climate change phenomena in the past couple of years.

He cited, for example, typhoon Ondoy, the landslides in Bohol that have been repeated in Surigao, and flooding in the South, which normally does not occur.

“In Bacolod, it is not only natural disasters that we need to be prepared for. Remember, we have Mt. Kanlaon, which is an active volcano, and is just one hour away from us,” Drilon said.

He said they will fully support whatever program the city government has insofar as disaster planning and management in terms of seminars, preparedness, among others, and whatever other assistance they can give to the city.

Drilon also said that in order to attract investors, one of the important aspects of a place is security. Part of security is health security, disaster security, among others, he said.

“So I encourage the local chief executive of the City to come up with a tangible program for attainable and realistic disaster planning management,” he said.

HOSPITAL’S CONTRIBUTION

Drilon said he can contribute during the deliberations, because CLMMRH is sitting at the heart of the city and he believes they will be the center of referral of patients to be brought in, if disasters occur, which he, however, hopes will not happen.

Drilon saidunnecessary loss of lives should be prevented.“We can never really fight the fury of Mother Nature.“But we can at least negate the losses in terms of lives and properties and all of these require planning.”

He welcomes and will support the summit in whatever way the Department of Health can help, Drilon added.

WASTE OF MONEY?

Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said it was the idea of Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel to hold the summit in Bacolod City and thathe never asked for it, in reaction to the claim of Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez that holding a Risk Reduction Summit is a waste of money.

Leonardia said Pimentel is going to hold the summit nationwide. “Since he has chosen to have it here in Bacolod, why should we not welcome it?” he asked.

If Golez thinks that this is a waste of money, he should call the attention of Pimentel, since this was his idea, and tell him directly that this is a waste of money, he said.

Leonardia said he is simply going to host the summit and he believes it is not a waste of money.

It is Pimentel’s money that he is supposed to be “wasting,” so he suggested that Golez should call or visit Pimentel and tell him that it is a waste of money and the senator might listen to him, he said.

“If the Senator will agree with Golez, there is no problem with me,” Leonardia said.

He said that in this summit, everybody will be reminded about the basics and latest trends and practices about risk reduction and disaster preparedness.

Leonardia said “I have never assumed that I knew everything. I always assume that there is always something to learn and there is alwaysroom for improvement. We cannot be arrogant and claim that we know everything.”

He said that if other people think that they already know everything,that is their business. For himself, he said, he believes that staying in governance is a continuing education.*CGS

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