DILG to mayors: Don’t go missing in action as Tisoy looms

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday ordered all mayors in areas foreseen to be affected by Typhoon Tisoy to not go missing-in-action in their respective localities to oversee disaster management operations.

“As head of their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils, governors, mayors, and punong barangays [village heads] are expected to be in their respective stations to man the incident command center and vigilantly monitor the situation on the ground,” Año said in a statement.

He added that local chief executives should have already convened their respective disaster risk reduction and management councils by now, ahead of the projected landfall of the typhoon over Catanduanes, Albay or Sorsogon between Monday evening and early Tuesday morning.

He also ordered local government units to monitor sea levels and settlements in low-lying areas or near riverbanks as well as areas prone to landslides.

“Local execs in coordination with local police and fire/emergency response authorities should carry out preemptive or forced evacuation in areas with very high susceptibility to storm surge, flood and landslide, if necessary,” said Año.

Local authorities in affected areas should also restrict tourism activities such as mountaineering, surfing, hiking, and diving within their areas of jurisdiction. Small-scale miners should likewise be advised to stay in safer grounds and avoid mining activities during the period, the Interior secretary added.

“It is also essential to ensure that communication lines are working in order to regularly inform local communities of situation updates and preparedness actions of localities and to advise the national government on what assistance it could provide to affected communities,” he said.

In the past, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has issued show-cause orders to mayors who were not in their localities during strong typhoons. The department has also earlier warned that missing-in-action mayors may face administrative sanctions should it find their explanation for their absence inadequate.

Edited by JPV