MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has set up a “command center” to ensure organized and efficient distribution of relief goods and construction materials and equipment to areas badly hit by Typhoon Yolanda (international codename Haiyan).
In a press briefing on Tuesday, November 12, Transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said the command center – a team composed of representatives from DOTC and its attached agencies – will be the transporation arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Its primary task is to ensure timely and organized transportation of relief goods, rebuilding materials and equipment, among others, to typhoon-stricken areas.
“The center is under NDRRMC. We will be the transport arm of NDRRMC. They will tell us what goods to pick up and where [to pick them up and deliver them],” he noted.
Yolanda, one of world’s strongest typhoons on record, struck the Philippines on Friday, November 8, damaging homes, buildings and infrastructure, and killing and displacing thousands in the Visayas region.
As of Monday afternoon, November 11, NDRRMC confirmed at least 1,774 died in the typhoon, but this is a conservative estimate. Officials earlier said the number can swell to over 10,000.
Abaya said the DOTC command center will serve and take orders from 5 “clients” or departments, namely:
- Department of Social Welfare and Development – for relief goods
- Department of Public Works and Highways – for construction materials and clearing equipment
- Department of Health – for medicines
- Department of Agriculture – for rice, crops and other food items
- Department of Energy – for power and electrical systems
“Our plan is to pool the relief goods from them. We will pull out relief goods and transport,” the transportation chief said.
All modes of transportation utilized
All modes of transportation will be utilized to deliver relief goods to affected areas as soon as possible, Abaya noted.
“The priority of government is to bring relief goods and provide shelter the soonest time possible,” he said.
Relief goods for the hardest-hit areas in Leyte and Samar provinces will be sent by air.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will transport the goods from DSWD repacking centers in Manila to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and port areas.
The LTFRB will also mobilize provincial buses to ferry people out of Tacloban City, which suffered a catastrophic blow from the typhoon.
Abaya said trucking and hauling companies are helping out in the delivery of goods by land.
He said the Land Transportation Office (LTO), along with the Department of Interior and Local Government, will deploy “escorts” who will secure the deliveries. LTO and LTFRB are attached agencies of DOTC.
Cebu as main hub
The Cebu airport will be the main hub for relief efforts instead of the Tacloban airport, which sustained serious damage from the typhoon.
The Tacloban airport’s communication facilities, tower and radar equipment were all destroyed. But it is now partially open and accommodating small, turboprop aircraft used for humanitarian purposes.
“Our plan is to use Cebu as the hub as Tacloban is not an ideal place for landing of aircraft, especially from foreign aid,” Abaya said.
The airport in Cebu is a preferred drop-off point for relief goods due to space and location.
“There is warehousing, security and enough flexibility and options for various modes of transportation if in case you want to ship goods to other areas, aside from Tacloban,” Abaya said. – Rappler.com
Get the latest info on the status of areas (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-yolanda/43350-aftermath-yolanda-what-we-know) affected by Typhoon Yolanda (international codename Haiyan).
Help the victims of Yolanda. View Rappler’s list of ongoing relief operations (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/43300-reliefph-victims-typhoon-yolanda-help) in your area. Tell us about your relief and recovery initiatives, email move.ph@rappler.com or tweet us @moveph.
Visit rappler.com/typhoon-yolanda (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/disasters/typhoon-yolanda) for the latest updates on the aftermath of the typhoon.
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