QC releases guidelines for rainy season amid pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government on Friday released guidelines to gear up for possible disasters during the rainy season while dealing with the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the guidelines will impose health requirements and identify evacuation centers for typhoon victims.

“Marami tayong dapat ikonsidera ngayon, lalo na pagdating sa physical distancing at paghihiwalay ng mga pasyenteng may COVID-19 kapag kinailangang lumikas at magtungo sa evacuation center ng mga tao,” Belmonte said in a statement.

(We have a lot of things to consider, especially physical distancing and segragating patients of COVID-19 if they are needed to go to evacuation centers.)

Under the guidelines, the mayor ordered the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) to “maintain a list of flood-prone areas and identify evacuation locations” in the city such as schools and covered courts.

It also mandated an updated list for suspected and confirmed cases of coronavirus disease for flood-prone areas in the city. The COVID-19 patients will be separated from the general evacuee population to suppress the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The guidelines also tasked DRRMO to ensure that their responders will wear personal protective equipment during rescue or evacuation operations.

The Quezon City Health Department will coordinate with the City Social Services Development Department and concerned barangay to designate a health officer for each evacuation center to ensure that health measures are observed in the facility.

The health officer must also conduct regular health checks for evacuees and responders.

Last June 12, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) officially announced that rainy season has started in the country.

EDV