NDRRMC assures enough funds for La Niña response

MANILA, Philippines — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday said there were still funds for response and relief operations for the possible effects of the La Niña phenomenon.

“Prior to the start of the rainy season, the NDRRMC had already made the necessary preparations in view of the La Niña happening during the COVID-19 pandemic,” NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal told the Inquirer in a text message.

As early as May, Timbal said the NDRRMC had issued Memorandum No. 54, which ‘incorporated COVID-19 protection protocols to our response system.”

“If there would be response activities, such as search and rescue, both the responders and the people must wear the usual protection equipment such as masks, shields, etc. as well as physical distancing,” he said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Friday said the country might experience La Niña from October until March next year.

Pagasa advised local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the adverse impact of La Niña, such as flooding and landslides. The weather bureau also told LGUs to ready their evacuation centers.

Timbal said the NDRRMC had highlighted in its memorandum “the effectiveness of evacuation planning, wherein, all LGUs have already prepared their facilities that would be used as evacuation sites in case of emergencies.

He said “these evacuation sites are distinct and separate from those facilities being used for COVID-19 quarantine.”