BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – The local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) councils in the Cordillera region are advised to continuously monitor and maintain heightened preparedness for the possible effect of the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan and other weather systems.
Cordillera Regional DRRM Council Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Regional Director Albert Mogol issued the advisory during the council’s virtual Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting on January 10 to monitor state weather bureau PAGASA’s updates on Amihan, La Niña, and other weather systems that may affect the region this first quarter of 2025.
The CRDRRMC Emergency Operations Center is on blue alert for heightened monitoring for possible effects of the weather systems.
It said that Cordillera, especially Baguio City and Benguet are experiencing cooler temperatures that dropped to 13.8 degrees Celsius on Jan. 12.
Mogol called on local DRRM councils to synchronize their alert level with the regional council.
“The OCD-CAR is in full alert in monitoring weather systems in Cordillera. At present, the region is being affected by the Amihan with looming threats of other weather systems such as Shear Line, Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), localized thunderstorms, and the expected La Niña phenomenon,” Mogol said.
PAGASA’s Larry Esperanza affirmed possible occurrences of occasional monsoon rain, shear line, and local thunderstorms that may trigger rain-induced landslides or flash floods.
Esperanza also noted that from January to March, up to three tropical cyclones might enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility or PAR.
Meanwhile, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-MGB) advised local government units, through their DRRM offices, to monitor the list of barangays that are susceptible to rain-induced landslides or flash floods.
Based on the January 13 MGB list, 12 barangays in Cordillera are on the list of areas susceptible to rain-induced landslide and/or flash flood, and five of them are in Calanasan, two in Kabugao, four in Luna, and one in Pudtol – all in the province of Apayao.
Likewise, the MGB advised local officials to monitor of areas at on foothills, especially those with previous reported ground cracks – those on foothills or near the crown of old and/or active landslides; those along road cuts and road easements where slopes are modified, or steepened due to road development; and those at the mouth of rivers, creeks, gullies coming from mountains that are landslide-prone.
Also tackled in the PDRA meeting were the council’s La Niña Preparedness Plan and situational reports and preparedness plan from the different provincial/city DRRM Councils in the region.
Other items that were discussed in the meeting include updates on the preparations and security and safety measures for the upcoming Panagbenga Festival and the 2025 Alumni Homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy, both are crowd-drawing events. (CCD/PIA CAR)