Capas: Public Hearing

As a result of our previous meeting, a public hearing has been held yesterday, August 18, 2009 at Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall, Sangguniang Bayan Bldg., Municipality of Capas.

Based on the documents below, this is a legislative inquiry in aide of legislation by the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Chaired by councilor Ricardo L. Galang for the proposed adoption of a "Comprehensive Safety and Contingency Plan" aimed at deterring the happening of the recent typhoon Kiko tragedy at the environs of Mount Pinatubo.

The followings are the steps that shall be taken:

• Creation of an inter-agency committee tasked to look after the safety and protection of local and foreign tourists engaging in trekking adventure.
• Establishments of monitoring stations to filter out incoming dangers/disasters and inform the base station for such eventualities. The idea is to create at least 4 stations; at the "Kwadra (4x4 jump off point), Hot Spring, Skyway & at Baranggay Sta Juliana.
• Dissemination of safety information brochures to tourists booking for Mount Pinatubo tour. I mentioned that my team are already implementing this given the fact that we are holding an actual briefing prior to dispatching and distribution a waiver to be signed by every trek participants.
• Creation of disaster Response Personnel from the military or civilian volunteers.
• Identification of rescue tools and equipment necessary on every 4x4 vehicle which can be utilized readily in the event of accident or disaster. The idea is that every 4x4 operators must provide life vests for every tourists riding their 4x4, a hard hat/helmet and a radio antenna to facilitate effective communication. This is mandatory for every 4x4 jeep to ensure safety. These will be checked by the staffs of DOT (Dept. of Tourism), Staffs at the office of the Baranggay Captain at Sta. Juliana and at the Air Force checkpoint. These are the 3 clearance points before final dispatching. No 4x4 jeeps shall be allowed entry without these mandatory safety equipments.
  
• Providing seminars and first aide response trainings for every tour guides and 4x4 jeep drivers. It is also mandatory that they know how to swim otherwise they will not be allowed to be an official guide servicing the area.
• The body is open for any inputs, views and suggestions from the residents, 4x4 jeep's drivers & operators, trekkers, trip organizers, travel agencies, stakeholders and other concerned sectors and organizations in framing the comprehensive safety and contingency plan which would be an integral part of the proposed ordinance. So if you have fruitful ideas in mind, please email it to us and I will be glad to submit it at the Local Tourism Office and post it here as well.

So far, these are the unities at the said public hearing. Time frame of of 20 days to 1 month or more shall be given to all persons concerned to acquire mandatory safety gadgets & equipment and trainings before opening the trekking activity.

Hopefully, after compliance to all required safety equipments, trainings and clearances from the institutions mentioned by the Regional Tourism Office, Mount Pinatubo will be open for business again and maybe it's not a very long way off since most of the people concerned are joining their hands in achieving this at the soonest time possible.

I'll keep you posted.

Juliet Corpuz
Trip Organizer/Blog owner

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