CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) — Local and national government authorities remain on standby to assist needing public despite Oriental Mindoro was not directly affected by super typhoon Pepito.
According to Ram Joseph Temeña, Operations and Warning head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), preemptive evacuations were carried out on November 16 in the towns of Pola, Roxas, and Puerto Galera.
An estimated 639 families from 19 barangays in these areas were relocated from landslide and storm-surge prone zones.
Due to the effects of super typhoon Pepito, there has been no ferry service at the provincial ports for two consecutive days, causing 232 rolling cargoes to become stranded.
In response, the provincial government, following the directive of Governor Humerlito Dolor, immediately extended assistance to stranded passengers at the Batangas port.
Temeña reported that on November 16, around 75 individuals were brought to the SM Event Center, where they were provided with hot meals.
He added that the LGUs and their respective Municipal DRRMOs have already implemented their own measures to assist families that underwent preemptive evacuation.
Temeña advised the public to remain cautious as there is still a possibility of heavy rainfall in the province.
As of the latest monitoring by PDRRMO, the province is experiencing partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers in various areas. (JJGS/PIA MIMAROPA-Oriental Mindoro)
