SAN FERNANDO CITY (PIA) –The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Ilocos geared up for Super Typhoon Mawar which is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday night or Saturday morning.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasted that STY Mawar would bring heavy rains and winds in the region.
Member agencies and the four provincial DRRMs had put all the preparedness measures in place.
The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) had already conducted its inventory of non-food items and created the organization assignment list for its emergency operations center (EOC).
Relief goods which include around 40,000 family food packs and 40,000 non-food items are readily available, prepositioned at the warehouses of the Department of Social Welfare and Development region-wide.
The Department of Health had allocated logistics and medical commodities amounting to P3,823,048 among its provincial counterparts to be distributed across evacuation centers.
There are also 30 regional evacuation centers that have been constructed by the Department of Public works and Highways in the region that can be used in addition to local evacuation sites.
On the other hand, in case of damage in the agricultural sector, interventions for production inputs like vegetable seeds will be distributed among farmers by the Department of Agriculture through its partners in LGUs.
Further, the Department of the Interior and Local Government had advised and guided the local government units (LGUs) to ensure that all their necessary critical preparedness options are being undertaken especially on convening its local DRRM councils for risk assessment and to regularly inform the people through all available channels on the latest situation updates.
Also, at the local level, the PDRRMOs of the four provinces had readied its assets and equipment, and personnel for deployment.
As of Friday night, the region is under “Blue” alert status wherein member agencies of the RDRRMC-1 are mandated to closely monitor the weather bulletins; strengthen risk communication; enforce pre-emptive evacuations in high-risk areas; conduct assessment on possible suspension of public works; and activate respective EOCs.
According to OCD Spokesperson Mark Masudog, all the member agencies are working hand in hand to prepare for the worst case scenario.
“Minomonitor natin ang paggalaw ng bagyo at tulong-tulong dahil pinaghahandaan po natin ito ng lubusan para hindi tayo masyadong maapektuhan ng bagyo,” Masudog said. (JCR/CGC, PIA Region 1)
