The inauguration was led by the City Mayor, Art Joseph Francis Mercado, along with DILG Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos, Jr., CDRRMO Department Head Vernet Nico A. Pavino, and other officials.
The local government spent 300 million pesos on the six-story CDRRM building. The building is equipped with solar panels, generators, and satellite internet service powered by Starlink. The solar panels are for the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation as part of their resilience and disaster preparedness, said Pavino. The command center also has a cloud where the data will be installed.
Mayor Mercado said, “This new building marks a fulfillment not only of our dream of upgrading our DRRM capabilities but also of our vision of making San Pedro a smart city that is sustainable and resilient from disasters.”
San Pedro Laguna is considered vulnerable to calamities and is prone to flooding during rainy seasons as it is located near Laguna de Bay. The command center will aid in preparation and fast response when natural calamities occur. “With San Pedro fast becoming one of Laguna’s most urbanized cities, it is thus imperative for us to always prepare for these catastrophes,” said the mayor.
DILG Secretary Abalos said that in his years of service, the CDRRM office in San Pedro is the best DRRMO office he has seen. “This monument stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication of the government of San Pedro to the welfare and safety of its constituents,” said Abalos.
During the press conference, Pavino said that they are currently mirroring the existing CCTVs of the city. He also added that they are preparing for phase two of the command center, wherein they will install 208 all over the city of San Pedro.
The cameras will be artificial intelligence-powered and have license plate recognition and face recognition.
Pavino also mentioned that Meralco, Prime Water, San Pedro Water District, and PLDT are among their private partners, along with different NGOs and volunteer groups.
