THE regional disaster council in the Cordilleras is bracing for the impending tropical cyclones during the last five months of this year.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Baguio Station on June 22 said nine to 14 Tropical Cyclones are likely to develop from June to November this year.
Engr. Hilario Esperanza, Pagasa weather specialist said a super typhoon may develop from September to November, this year.
“This is based on the past trends and we are not discounting the possibility of the occurrence of a super typhoon this year,” Esperanza said.
As a response, the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) is intensifying its disaster preparedness.
“Our preparations for the possible occurrence of super typhoon should be doubled this year considering most damages Super Typhoon Lawin left in CAR last year have not been fully rehabilitated,” CRDRRMC Chairperson Andrew Alex Uy said.
rUy urged everyone to intensify disaster prevention and mitigation activities including pruning of trees, cleaning canals and reinforcement of slope protection.
“This is not just a sole responsibility of the government. It should also involve the barangays. We can do more things if we are united and one,” Uy said.
Aside from Tropical Cyclones, the council is also preparing for other weather systems including southwest monsoon, thunderstorms and Low Pressure Area which may bring rains and can trigger landslides and flooding in the region.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has launched Oplan Tag-Ulan to urge local government units to prepare for worst case scenarios during the rainy season.
DILG–CAR is the Vice Chairperson for Preparedness under the CRDRRMC.
Local chief executives are urged to convene their respective Local DRRM Councils and conduct Pre-Disaster Risk Assessments (PDRA), especially for flood and landslide prone areas and prepare or review their current Oplan Tag-Ulan plans and evaluate if their local preparedness measures are adequate based on Pagasa’s forecast.
DILG–CAR regional director Marlo Iringan urged member agencies to prepare buffer funds for faster distribution of immediate needs of families that may be affected by Tropical Cyclones in the future.
In November 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) battered the Visayas Region, parts of Luzon and Mindanao and On October 2016, Super Typhoon Lawin (Haima) smashed Northern Luzon. (PR/SunStar Philippines)