What should LGUs do during disasters?

MANILA, Philippines –  Although Super Typhoon Florita (international name Neoguri) is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, Western Visayas is not letting its guard down.

Local disaster managers are closely monitoring the situation on the ground 24/7 as the typhoon is expected to dump monsoon rains in some parts of the country including the region. (READ: Heavy rains for Western Visayas, parts of Luzon Tuesday)

On Monday, July 7, the Western Visayas regional disaster risk reduction management council (RDRRMC) activated its disaster information drive called “Oplan Panawagan,” regional disaster chief and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) director Rosario Cabrera told Rappler.

About 200 volunteers called “communicators” have been deployed across the region to relay critical weather and disaster information to towns and communities using radio units and mobile phones.

RDRMMC is also coordinating with affected local government units (LGUs), making sure they are able to respond to reported incidents like landslides and flashfloods brought about by the monsoon rains.

According to Cabrera, a landslide occurred in the town of Anini-y in Antique province on Monday, but no casualties were reported.

How to prepare

“We are guided and prepared,” Cabrera stressed.

But what exactly does being prepared mean as far as LGUs are concerned?

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), with the help of the Local Government Academy, came up with a checklist that will help “gear up their disaster preparedness driven by the early warnings to create early action.”

The list includes things to be done before, during, and after disasters.

Here is the list on what LGUS should undertake during disasters.

The material includes lessons from “Iba na ang panahon (Time has changed): Science for Safer Communities,” a series of workshops with LGUs initiated by DILG, OCD and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The workshops were conducted across the country in April and May to prepare vulnerable communities for the typhoon season. – Rappler.com

Tell us what your LGU is doing to prepare for disasters, and stay alert with the latest weather and disaster information through Project Agos.