Ilocos norte: A centralized emergency operations center equipped with modern facilities and additional personnel will soon be constructed in this city with an initial budget of PHP25 million. "The first phase of the building construction is now up for bidding," Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) officer Marcell Tabije said in a media interview on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Tabije stated that the center, which will house equipment, personnel, and communication facilities necessary for efficient disaster management, will further strengthen disaster response coordination in the province. Located along P. Hernando Street in Barangay Sta. Joaquina, the center will be constructed near the provincial building of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and just a few meters away from the university belt, hospitals, and commercial establishments.

The project will be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) First Engineering District. "The initial budget is ready and we hope the project will start in a week or a few weeks from now," Tabije said. Now a separate department of the Ilocos Norte government, the office of the PDRRMO will soon be transferred to the center, with more personnel to be hired in addition to its current 15 staff to boost its disaster and response capabilities.

Tabije mentioned that one of the center's unique features is a real-time and integrated monitoring system covering Ilocos Norte's 21 towns and two cities.