Gov’t urged to aim for ‘zero casualties’

Senator Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The government should improve its disaster preparedness efforts and aim for zero casualties as the country is expected to experience at least six more typhoons this year, Senator Loren Legarda said Monday.

Legarda challenged the executive department “and all local communities to aim for zero casualty in the succeeding typhoons.”

The most recent typhoon, Ofel, has left at least 27 people dead after it directly hit several provinces in the Visayas region.

“As we expect more typhoons that could be stronger and more devastating, our national and local action must promote disaster prevention with ‘zero tolerance’ as a mindset and approach,” Legarda said.

“We must bring disaster preparedness to an even heightened level and aim to have no casualties for the succeeding typhoons,” she added.

Legarda is the United Nations (UN) Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Asia-Pacific and chairperson of the Senate committee on Climate Change.

The senator urged the government to clean up canals and drainage systems, ensure families don’t live in high-risk areas, release timely and updated advisories, and promptly alert and prepare areas that are expected to be affected.

“All sectors must work together. The government must make our laws work and carry out programs that would improve disaster preparedness of every community. The private sector, on the other hand, must strengthen their business continuity plans, especially for hospitals and other lifelines, which are vital for post-disaster activities,” she said.

“The public must be more aware of the disaster risks in their midst and do something to protect lives and property way ahead of any typhoon and other natural hazards,” she further said.

Legarda cited the current National Greening Program, Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project NOAH, and the Geo-Hazard Mapping Project, as government projects “that could very well make the country disaster-resilient.”