Nolcom gearing up for new enemy: ‘Yolanda’-like disasters

This aerial photo taken on November 17, 2013, shows the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda near the coastal town of Tanauan, Leyte. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Military troops in northern Luzon are preparing not for war, but for future disasters similar to Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan).

Yolanda was the strongest storm to hit land in recent world history. It killed at least 6,000 people and affected millions, according to government data. Its strong winds and torrential rains battered Eastern Visayas last November.

“[Northern Luzon Command] Nolcom in partnership with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education and local government units together with local police will be conducting a series of trainings in preparation to disasters using Yolanda scenario,” said Major Emmanuel Garcia, commander of the First Civil Relations Group.

Garcia said the first leg of the three-day Basic Life Support and Disaster Preparedness Training was started at the headquarters of the 1st Civil Relations Group and was concluded Wednesday.

The second leg of training will be held also in Sta. Ana in Cagayan with soldiers from the Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion and the Naval Forces Northern Luzon from Feb. 14 to 16.

The third of the series will also be held in Sta. Ana, Cagayan with teachers and village officials from Feb. 17 to 19.

“Future trainings in different municipalities are being finalized,” Garcia said, adding that they will train soldiers in small groups for them to be trained thoroughly. For the first series, about 100 soldiers will undergo training.

The Nolcom has also designated areas in northern and Central Luzon that will serve as evacuation centers during calamities.

The series of trainings will focus on basic life support, pre- and post-disaster preparations, disaster response mechanism, relief distribution procedures, law and order during disasters, communications network and information flow in disaster situation, and family and community organization in calamity situation.

Emphasis will be given to survival techniques, military food and water cache techniques or food stockpiling, indigenous water filtration and distillation methods and finding/processing indigenous edible materials.

‘New enemy on the horizon’

The series of trainings is part of the military’s battle plan against climate change that is tackled in command conferences presided by Nolcom chief Lieutenant General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

“We have a new enemy on the horizon, that is climate change and the disasters it brings and we can only win if we unite in preparing before these disasters strike,” he said.

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