Sara Duterte calls on LGUs to plan ahead for disasters

Vice President Sara Duterte urged local government leaders to take a proactive role in preventing disasters or minimizing their impact by establishing comprehensive disaster preparedness plans.

"Unang-una, we are a disaster-prone country. Pero, taon-taon na lang para bang nag-aantay lang tayo ng kalamidad at ng emergency," Duterte said in an ambush interview at The Hague, Netherlands, on Monday.

"Dapat lahat tayo ay magkaroon ng participation sa disaster risk reduction and management plan ng lahat ng mga local government units para handa na yung ating lugar, handa na tayo pagdating ng landslide, pagbaha, bagyo, malakas na ulan, malakas na hangin, lindol, pagsabog ng bulkan, at iba pang natural at man-made disaster na nangyayari diyan sa ating bansa," the Vice President added.

She emphasized the importance of being prepared for disasters and how crucial it is to saving lives.

"So, paniguraduhin natin na handa tayo lagi. Hindi yung darating na lang ang ayan na, ang panahon ng bagyo tapos ayan na ang baha, nasira na naman yung ref, nasira na naman yung TV, kasi unang-una walang maayos na drainage plan at hindi naghanda yung mga tao sa personal nila na gamit at lalong hindi naghanda yung gobyerno sa kanilang mga kailangan gawin," she said.

"Kailangan maghanda. Kailangan natin magkaroon ng plano, magkaroon ng mga projects at magkaroon ng implementation ng mga proyekto at magkaroon ng kahandaan sa personal natin ng mga properties," she added.

If she becomes president in the future, Duterte said she would bring experts and engineers from other countries—particularly from the Netherlands—to help solve the Philippines’ persistent flooding problems.

"We already did that. Right now, I cannot remember the non-government organization which helped me when I was a Mayor in Davao City. But we did that for Davao City when I was mayor. There was a Dutch consultant sent by the NGO to help the local government unit of Davao City," Duterte said.

"I forgot his name, I forgot the name of the NGO, but it's in a newspaper article. He went around Davao City and then he assessed the problems and then he gave common sense solutions. Truly, he gave common sense solutions to the problems of the city with regard to sidewalks, pedestrians, and drainage," the Vice President added.