Gov’t gears for Yolanda
MANILA - Preparations are up for various government disaster agencies as Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) threatens the country.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena placed the entire agency’s units in the areas which will be affected by the cyclone under full alert. These units were urged to take proactive measures to prevent or at least minimize the loss of lives during the typhoon’s onslaught.
Haiyan is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday and to make landfall on Visayas on Friday. Once it enters the PAR, it will be named “Yolanda.”
Based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) advisory on Tuesday, several areas throughout the country including Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas regions, as well as Caraga and Northern Mindanao were placed under red alert due to the upcoming cyclone.
The NDRRMC also ordered the preemptive evac- uation of residents along coastal towns in areas which will be affected by the cyclone.
During the NDRRMC meeting at the Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City Wednesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II said that respective local governments particularly in Samar and Leyte provinces where the said weather disturbance is expected to make landfall by morning of Friday should already conduct pre-emptive evacuation particularly for the residents living in low-lying, coastal and flood prone areas.
He said plans for emergency situation must be implemented beginning Wednesday as the typhoon is only three days away from making a landfall.
“Ang desisyon ay nasa local disaster council. Ang
mariin naming nire-remind na lalo na yung mga nasa coastal halimbawa sa Borangan, sa Eastern, Samar ito na ang kaharap nito Pacific Ocean, so diyan talaga yung tatamaan. Hanggang along western coast of Samar ay mariin naming na nireremind ang mga local chief executive na ang pagsisi ay nasa dulo, hangga’t habang maaga ay kumilos na,” Roxas said.
Isorena, for his part, reminded the ship owners to beef up on its vigilance and abide the guidelines on the “Movement of Vessels during Heavy Weather” when a public storm warning is already hoisted.
The agency reminds the public that during Public Storm Warning Signal Number 1, all maritime vessels of any volume aren’t allowed to sail while all kind of shipping vessels are prohibited to travel or left the port terminal.
“Absolutely no sea travel, bawal kapag may Signal Number 1 na,” Isorena said.
He also reminded the fisher folks to suspend their fishing ventures to some other time until the typhoon exits the country by Sunday.
Forty brand-new rubber boats were delivered at the PCG Headquarters on Wednesday to augment the government’s rescue force for this upcoming typhoon.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson meanwhile appealed to electric cooperatives in the provinces to conduct trimming and grooming procedure of trees, which are near electric posts, especially those located along major roads, as it usually causes accidents during typhoons.
Singson added that heavy equipment, which will be use just in case mudslide or landslide occurs due to heavy rain and flooding, are already prepositioned in the areas that were recently affected by the magnitude 7.2 quake in Central Visayas, particularly Bohol and Cebu.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the suspension of classes is already under the discretion of the school superintendent.
He noted that the provinces of Albay and Cebu already suspended classes for Thursday so that the students and their families can prepare for a worst case scenario just in case Yolanda comes in their respective areas.