No more congested evacuation centers especially at low-lying municipalities in central Pangasinan with the new Regional Evacuation Center cum Multi-Purpose Building at Brgy. Maningding, Santa Barbara, Pangasinan.

To augment DSWD’s Php10M for the construction of the building, the Local Government Unit of Sta. Barbara under the leadership of Mayor Carlito Zaplan shared its counterpart of Php1.5M for additional construction materials and Php2M for site development.

DSWD Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera thanked and expressed appreciation to the LGU of Sta. Barbara for their counterpart including the 2,000 square meter-lot where the center was constructed.

According to Dir. Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo, this project strengthens the disaster preparedness in Pangasinan by mitigating damages and loss of lives. This shall serve as temporary shelter for disaster-affected families and even internally displaced persons from the same and nearby towns, Dir. Castillo added.

The Project identified Santa Barbara as a strategic location because it is landlocked and is situated almost exactly at the heart of the Province of Pangasinan. It is bounded in the north by the Municipality of Mangaldan, in the northeast by the Municipality of Mapandan, in the east by the City of Urdaneta, in the west by the Municipality of Calasiao and in the south by the Municipality of Malasiqui, which are known as low-lying and flood-prone areas in Pangasinan. (by: Iryn D. Cubangbang with reports from FO1-DREAMU)