OCD Director Alexander Pama. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – With Tropical Storm “Glenda” expected to make landfall on Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council urged local officials to ask them for help if worse comes to worst.
In a briefing Monday afternoon, NDRRMC Chief Undersecretary Alexander Pama said the local officials in the areas where “Glenda” may strike should “come forward” if they are in dire situation and lacked the capability to handle the situation on their own.
“It’s not a problem if [they] would text us or reach out to us through social media,” Pama said.
Pama asked for the cooperation of the officials even before “Glenda” makes landfall in Virac, Catanduanes on Tuesday and continue its westward motion.
“Glenda,” as of 12 noon Monday was at 570 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of 120 kph.
“To determine the situation, we need the cooperation of everybody and we will help you in your needs,” he said.
Pama added that one factor in executing their pre-emptive measures is the time as “Glenda” nears.
As of Monday morning, the provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon were put under public storm warning Signal No. 2, while Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Marinduque, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Southern Aurora, Metro Manila and Northern Samar were put under Signal No. 1.
Despite their previous advisories, Pama said that the NDRRMC still remains wary as the path of “Glenda” could change.
Playing it safe
Director Edgar Tabell of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Central Office Disaster Information Coordinating Center said all DILG offices in Luzon and Eastern Visayas have been activated to prepare for Glenda.
Tabell added that evacuation centers have been prepared and power lines, bridges and roads have also been checked.
Lilian Rollan of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Mines and Geosciences Bureau said they have issued, and re-issued, advisories to local executives on the threat of landslides and flashfloods.
“Right after we are done with the geo hazard mapping, we immediately send them to local executives and re-issue them once more,” Rollan said.
Also, Tabell said that DILG Secretary Manuel Roxas II ordered all local police chiefs and fire marshals to coordinate with the local executives to determine the kind of support to provide.
Rollan added that based on the track of the typhoon that the weather bureau predicted, the provinces under Signal No. 2 have 359 villages, which are prone to landslides and 1,117 villages to flashfloods.
For the provinces under Signal No. 1, 575 villages are prone to landslides while 2,841 are prone to flashfloods.
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