CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Calabarzon commended local government units (LGUs) in the region for intensifying pre-emptive evacuations ahead of the onslaught of Typhoon Opong on Friday, Sept, 26.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director and RDRRMC Chairperson Carlos Eduardo Alvarez III emphasized that although Calabarzon was not directly hit by the recent typhoon, the pre-emptive evacuations have been crucial in ensuring public safety, especially for residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas.
Alvarez also thanked local disaster officers and responders for their efforts in safeguarding communities amid the threat of Severe Tropical Storm Opong in the region on Friday, Sept. 26.
“We, in the Office of Civil Defense and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Calabarzon, extend our gratitude to all our local DRRM officers, staff, responders, and stakeholders for the invaluable services rendered to ensure the safety of our communities considering the threat of TC Opong in the region. I convey our sincerest appreciation to all our Provincial DRRMC chairpersons for heeding our call for massive pre-emptive evacuations,” Alvarez said.
The RDRRMC Calabarzon reported that 64 local government units had preemptively evacuated 12,201 families, composed of 41,723 individuals, before the onslaught of Typhoon Opong.
It added that the RDRRMC is intensifying pre-emptive evacuation particularly in areas identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) as vulnerable to flooding and landslides.
Prior to the typhoon’s landfall, the RDRRMC directed LGUs across the region to enforce preparedness measures, including the immediate evacuation of residents in high-risk areas.
“Mas gusto natin na before it happens—bago magkaroon ng pagguho ng lupa, pagbaha, at iba pang epekto ng bagyo tulad ng malakas na hangin at ulan—nasa ligtas na lugar na ang ating mga kababayan,” OCD Calabarzon Spokesperson Reyan Derrick Marquez told the Philippine Information Agency.
He stressed that these efforts are aimed at minimizing casualties and protecting communities from hazards.
“’Yun po ang ating pinagpupursigihan, para po maging ligtas at huwag po tayong maging casualty na dulot ng pagbaha at landslide.”
Marquez also called on the public to cooperate fully with local authorities during emergencies.
“Makipagtulungan po tayo sa ating mga LGUs. Kapag sinabi nilang mag-evacuate, sumunod po tayo. Huwag po nating hintayin na dumating ang disgrasya dahil mahihirapan din magpadala ng search and rescue. Ayaw din nating malagay sa panganib ang ating mga responders,” he said.
The RDRRMC Calabarzon reported ₱25,568,751.00 worth of damages to agriculture, including rice, corn, and farm structures, affecting a total of 281 farmers across the region.
Meanwhile, relief assistance provided to local government units has reached ₱7.54 million, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development 4A. (FC, PIA4A)