Environment advocates sought on Friday the government’s increased intervention for the congested evacuation centers that could become breeding grounds for diseases due to garbage and inadequate amenities in these areas.

EcoWaste Coalition said hygiene and sanitation in evacuation centers for the survivors of tropical storm “Ondoy” are being compromised due to mounting garbage and lack of toilets in temporary shelters.

“The extremely congested educational and sports facilities providing refuge to thousands of flood survivors are becoming breeding grounds for post-storm diseases due to garbage and inadequate amenities,” said Elsie Brandes-De Veyra of the EcoWaste Coalition’s steering committee.

Diseases linked with floods that were identified by the Department of Health (DoH) include respiratory infections, influenza, measles, acute diarrhea, dermatitis, dengue, and leptospirosis.

“We appeal to all local officials to designate enough number of government personnel who will look after the health and hygiene needs of the evacuees,” she added.

Latest data from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) showed that there are 83,493 families, comprising 419,333 persons that are staying in 526 evacuation centers.

Out of the 526 evacuation centers, 305 are in Region IV-A, 174 in Metro Manila, 45 in Region III and 1 each in Region XII and in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

De Veyra urged local authorities to take the opportunity to train and mobilize evacuees on proper segregation of discards.

“This is an opportune time for the barangay, municipal, city and provincial waste management boards to show leadership on the eco-friendly way of dealing with disaster debris and in handling garbage at the evacuation centers,” she said

“It will really help if the evacuees themselves can form committees to oversee their sanitation and other needs in a systematic and healthy way,” she added.

The group has received complaints from the evacuees on the lack of toilets and dirty surroundings in evacuation centers due to improperly managed discards.

“The ecological management of discards is one way of preventing the outbreak of diseases in evacuation centers, and we hope that the authorities can allocate the necessary resources to help evacuees properly deal with their discards,” EcoWaste said.