LEGAZPI CITY – A 24-hour monitoring system was activated by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol as Typhoon Tisoy threatens the region.
OCD Bicol director Claudio Yucot has alerted Sunday the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine Coast Guard while rescue equipment is now on stand by for possible rescue operations. Military trucks are also on standby at Camp General Simeon Ola for possible dispatched anytime for evacuation procedures.
“We are on red alert status and we always aim for zero casualties in times of calamities” Yucot stressed.
Arlan Armenta, OCD operation staff, said: “radio communication lines are being set up by (military’s) 9th Infantry Battalion at operation centers in order to have a stable signal for a speedy throwing and receiving of messages.”
Meanwhile, in Guinobatan town, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Council will execute a pre-emptive evacuation on thousands of residents living in the slopes of Mount Mayon.
Teresita Alcantara III, MDRRMC chief, said 1,500 to 2,000 individuals will stay temporarily at school buildings in the town center away from their villages that are prone to lahar flow at 7 kilometers away from the slopes of Mayon.
She said food packs are also available for evacuees.
In Daraga town, Mayor Vic Perete said there are 8,300 residents from 54 villages that need to be evacuated due to landslide and flood threats.
In Ligao City, the villagers of Baligang, Nabonton, Tambo, Tula-Tula Grande, Guilid, Tinago Binatagan, Tagpo and Pandan might also be evacuated if the weather situation worsens due to possibility of flash floods.