Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II on Monday commended local officials of Aurora and Isabela for their preparedness in ensuring zero casualty during the onslaught of tropical depression “Chedeng” (international name: Maysak) over the weekend.
Roxas met with local officials of the two provinces, as well as the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) officials, to thank them for their efforts.
The interior secretary pointed out that while Chedeng eventually weakened, the local officials still prepared for the worst.
“This doesn’t mean that our preparations went to waste. We will always prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Roxas said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government carried out Oplan Listo with local government units and the PDRRMC as part of its disaster preparedness for typhoons.
“Our local governments came together in a whole-of-nation approach to disaster preparedness,” Roxas noted.
He also cited the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection for helping in the preemptive evacuation of 2,140 residents from Aurora and Isabela.