CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, (PNA) — The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) on Friday alerted all provincial and municipal disaster councils in Central Luzon on the possible effects of typhoon “Santi” as it continues to move towards Aurora-Isabela area.
Josefina Timoteo, chairperson of the RDRRMC and regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 3, said although the effects of “Santi” have not yet been felt throughout the region, all concerned members of the disaster councils have been ordered to undertake precautionary measures and other disaster response activities.
Timoteo said the RDRRMC has already alerted the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC) in Aurora to implement pre-emptive evacuation of communities located in landslide and flood-prone areas.
”The PDRRMC-Aurora convened Thursday to implement preparedness measures on the effects of the typhoon ‘Santi’ in areas likely to be affected, and the pre-positioning of rescue assets,” Timoteo said.
She said rescue and emergency response teams are on standby as well as the pre-positioning of search-and-rescue equipment and personnel have already been put in place.
She also said that local government units (LGUs) in the region have prepared food supplies and disaster response equipment and teams in anticipation of evacuation and other emergencies.
”Local officials have met to plan their response on the possible effects of typhoon Santi,” she said.
Timoteo said that Disaster Response Units (DRUs) of the Philippine Air Force’s 1st Air Division at, Clark Airbase, Pampanga, is now on standby alert.
She said the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division has also alerted its DRUs and declared red alert for its units effective Thursday in anticipation for the conduct of disaster rescue and relief operations at areas to be affected by “Santi.”
Meanwhile, she asked the public to keep monitoring on the weather reports.
She also advised residents in the low-laying areas to voluntarily leave their houses prior to the issuance of evacuation operations.
”Although the residents along the riverbanks and coastal areas have been properly warned on the possible flooding, it is advisable if they would evacuate earlier and go to higher areas,” she said.
Central Luzon may not be directly hit by the typhoon, “but it is better that we are always prepared in times of calamities,” she added.