Tacloban City as global center for climate change proposed

MANILA, Philippines - A renowned urban planner on Wednesday told the national government that it should transform Tacloban City into a global center for climate change.

"I have recommended to make Tacloban City as global center for climate change because I think Tacloban City is the first victim of climate change not being addressed effectively," Architect Jun Palafox said on Wednesday during the media forum in San Juan City.

Palafox said that rebuilding Tacloban City, was literally flattened by super typhoon Yolanda, should be carefully studied to prevent similar devastation and loss of countless of lives.

"We have to take lessons from the mistakes and best pratices elsewhere in the world we can appropriately implement like one siguro we have to collect data na how high was the storm surge.  Maybe we may have to locate the new city in a higher ground," Palafox said.

He also proposed to the national government to look into allocating at least 30 hectares of land that could house three evacuation centers.

"Maybe we can start with the evacuation centers. If they have 300,000 people,  they should have maybe at least three evacuation centers na 10 hectares each. Because international standards, there should be one square meter of evacuation area for every resident," Palafox said.

He also cited that every evacuation area should be fitted with six facilities required by the land use policy--an emergency clinic, a water station,  a food station, an emergency shelter, emergency telecommunication center, and emergency helipad.

"I have been saying this for so many years administration by administration," Palafox said.

Palafox, meanwhile, said he could not yet give a ballpark figure of how much the government would need to spend to remodel Tacloban City.

"I cannot give big estimate until we have finished the assessment cost of reconstructing," he said.