WATCH: DILG chief to Nona-affected areas: Be alert, stay awake

MANILA, Philippines – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Sarmiento urged local government units and areas affected by Typhoon Nona (international name Melor) to stay alert Monday night, December 14.

“We should be more alert at night. We are suggesting this to residents in areas to be affected: If possible, stay awake,” Sarmiento said in a Facebook Live interview on Rappler.

Typhoon Nona made its 2nd landfall in Sorsogon on Monday afternoon, December 14, after hitting Batag, Northern Samar, in the morning. It continues to move west at 17 kilometers per hour (kph), heading for Mindoro.

The town of Laoang in Northern Samar was hardly hit, but no casualties have been reported so far, Sarmiento noted.

Authorities are facing difficulty in contacting the affected areas because communication lines are down.

“The AFP is setting up its radio system. Its unit in Catubig can also reach Palapag, Laoang to see the needs there,” according to Sarmiento. 

The DILG secretary cited Project NOAH data and added that there has been a decrease in the amount of rainfall in the Sorsogon area.

“So, kami naman sa DILG, kung ano ‘yung nakikita namin dito sa feed ng NOAH, tinatawagan natin ‘yung mga local chief executives,” Sarmiento said.

(Those of us in the DILG immediately relay to the local chief executives what we see in the NOAH feed.)

Sarmiento said Sorsogon and Albay are prepared, based on his most recent consultations with the local government units.

“Hopefully, we can prevent any casualty. I hope residents in those areas will listen to the warnings of local government officials,” Sarmiento said.

The DILG oversees the preparedness of frontline towns, cities, and provinces during typhoons.

MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, and its partners are at the headquarters  of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for the operations of Agos, a collaborative platform that combines top-down government action with bottom-up civic engagement to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters.

Watch the interview live on Rappler.