DPWH TURNS OVER EVACUATION CENTER TO SURSUR TOWN

It was a moment of pride for Hinatuanons, as the fully-completed Evacuation Center cum Multi-Purpose Covered Court situated in Barangay Bitoon was officially turned over by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Caraga to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Hinatuan.

The facility will primarily function as an evacuation center but can be utilized as a venue for sports or indoor games, conferences, and other activities in the absence of a disaster.

The gym-like multipurpose evacuation center carries the standard evacuation center design of the DPWH that has gendersensitive facilities. It is equipped with living quarters, a male and female toilet and bath, kitchen, dining area, basketball court, rooms to be used as admin offices, clinic room, prayer room, dressing room, and breastfeeding room. There is also an area for laundry, storage/ stockroom, reception, a generator set, and other basic amenities. The project was undertaken by the DPWHCaraga but funded by the national government, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) while the LGU provided the lot for the infrastructure.

Town mayor Shem G. Garay underscored the importance of having an evacuation center to answer to the need for resilient structures where evacuees can seek refuge, and provide them temporary shelter fit for living.

Second District Congressman Johnny T. Pimentel, who graced the turnover ceremony, said that the facility will greatly improve the preparedness and response capability of Hinatuan in times of disasters and emergencies.

Also in attendance during the event were the municipal and Barangay Bitoon officials, LGUHinatuan department and office heads, DPWHCaraga representatives, personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), among others. (LGU-Hinatuan/PIASurigao del Sur)

SurSur towns awarded the most competitive & improved LGUs by DTI

The municipalities of Hinatuan and Carrascal were recognized as some of the Most Competitive Municipalities province- and nationwide in different categories in the recent 2020 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI).

The town of Hinatuan was hailed as the Most Competitive Municipality in the Province of Surigao del Sur in the first and second-class municipalities category. In the regional ranking, Hinatuan also came sixth while it placed 203rd among the 489 LGUs in the national level.

Meanwhile, in the 3rd and 4th class municipality category, the municipality of Carrascal placed 2nd among the 19 LGUs in the province, fourth among 26 LGUs in Caraga Region, and 128th among the 611 LGUs in the entire nation. Carrascal has also bagged 1st place in the Economic Dynamism Pillar at the provincial and regional level.

The CMCI is an annual ranking created by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to measure the competitiveness of the LGUs based on four pillars: Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency, Infrastructure, and Resilience. (PIASurigao del Sur)