An Operations Center (OpCen) in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, opened on Wednesday to bolster the capabilities of the local government’s response to disasters and emergencies.

The opening of the PHP30-million OpCen was led by Office of Civil Defense in the Caraga Region (OCD-13) Director Jose Harry Barber and Bayugan City Mayor Kirk Asis.

In an interview with reporters, Asis said the center, consisting of a two-story building and a roof deck, costs some PHP14 million while the advanced sets of equipment housed inside amount to more than PHP15 million.

The OpCen is equipped with a system that is capable of monitoring the water levels of the major river systems in the city, especially during typhoons.

In a phone interview on Wednesday, Joseph Ian Onyot, head of the city’s information technology division, said the OpCen building and equipment are funded by the city government.

“This is among the priorities of the administration of Mayor Asis to enhance the capabilities of the local government to respond to any emergency,” he said.

Barber, for his part, said the facility “will serve as the nerve center for alert monitoring in Bayugan City and its villages.”

He also noted that the OpCen will also function as a multi-agency and multi-level facility in times of emergencies or during the conduct of planned events. (PNA)