Response, recovery and rehabilitation for Albay underway after “Juaning”


LEGAZPI CITY, July 27 (PIA) – Albay disaster managers maintains optimism that the province will be restored to has it been before as if tropical storm Juaning did not hit the area and bringing the life of Albayanos back to normal.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, chair of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) said that besides measures undertaken before and during the severe weather system that devastated the province, rehabilitation and recovery will be in full throttle after damage assessment has been undertaken by different offices of the provincial government concerned and other agencies.

Salceda has already ordered the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and other humanitarian health service offices of the province to immediately assess the impact of the recent disaster on health and come up with measures to prevent diseases that may arise from the severe weather condition, especially floodings.

According to Salceda, the provincial health personnel will conduct an onsite assessment of the community to ensure the prevention of any possible outbreak of diseases due to water contamination

Salceda also said the provincial government, as a policy, also provided free hospitalization during calamity.

The Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), Albay Provincial Health Office and Department of Health (DOH) V, are working very closely during emergency to provide all health care and medical services to Albayanos, particularly to all displaced individuals.”

The Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) was also conducting clearing operations all over the province since early today (Wednesday, July 27) while power supply has been in some areas.

In Albay, at least seven people were reported dead due to the tropical storm Juaning.

Albay PDRRMC reported on Tuesday that three children died in a landslide in Barangay Gabon, Polangui town after their houses were buried and crushed along with fallen trees.

Two victims were also reported in Pioduran after their house was crushed by fallen coconut trees, one person was electrocuted in Tiwi town, while a man with his motorcycle was washed away by rampaging floodwaters in Daraga town.

It also cited that three fishermen were also reported missing in Rapu-Rapu, an island town in Albay.

The disaster council reported some 107,938 families were evacuated in Albay, including affected by floods, 56,384; landslides, 13,322; lahar, 5,348; and strong winds destroying houses made of light materials totaling to 32,884 families.

The entire province was affected with reports of massive floods, landslides, and many homes destroyed. Most of these affected families temporarily evacuated to the nearest and safer grounds, residences, barangay halls, chapels or day care centers.

On the onslaught of the tropical depression, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) V has dispatched service personnel clearing main highways and roads across the province to ensure smooth flow of traffic, especially disaster operations responding to the needs of the residents.

The agency has continued operations today assessing possible damages on roads, bridges and other government infrastructures, according to DPWH V information officer Lucy Castaneda.

Respective social welfare and development offices of the different cities and towns meanwhile carried out pre-emptive evacuation limiting casualties in areas and provided emergency relief assistance to displaced families.

The Naval Forces Southern Luzon (Navforsol), Office of Civil Defense (OCD) V, and Albay PDRRMC dispatched disaster response and rescue teams early Tuesday to Polangui town and evacuated families from low lying areas.

Maritime assets of the Navy were also on rescue operations looking for five missing fishermen from Rapu-Rapu is an island town in Albay and Baras, Catanduanes.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) is set to distribute relief goods to disaster stricken areas, with Navforsol to facilitate some 2,000 packs in Malinao town that was badly devastated by the tropical storm.

“Navforsol has pledged commitment and will continue to do so in emergency and relief efforts in critical areas and place all floating assets in alert augmenting the ongoing relief operations of the local government,” said Captain Abraham Celzo, commander of the Navy command based here. (MAL, PIA V)


Feature Story:

Awareness of people in Sorsogon in DRR, a positive trait for mitigation

by Irma A. Guhit


SORSOGON CITY, JULY 27 (PIA).... "It's a regular working day today and resumption of classes were observed here in the province of Sorsogon", Manro Jayco, action officer of the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Council (PDRRMC) said in a short message sent here today.

"We are glad that today, people here in Sorsogon are well aware of the effects of calamities not only because of fear but also because of knowledge now on how to act immediately , proactively and go for voluntary evacuation without people from government telling them", Jayco expressed.

With the programs of disaster risk reduction now integrated in schools together with proper dissemination conducted in almost all barangays in the province, there is now a heightened awareness in communities identified as highly vulnerable to do immediate evacuation as an immediate pre-emptive policy and as an institutionalized protol in the PDRRMC.

Media assistance and regular communication with updated information provided specially by providing a link with PAGASA weather daily report, people everyday are provided weather situations. They are even made more aware with hotlines provided so that they can ask and be made aware now of disaster risk reduction strategies.

"People here now in our province are aware on what to do which is the highest form of mitigation, Jayco explained.

Local chief executives in the province of Sorsogon have also developed a protocol of text messaging and open line communications.

Barangays that are highly vulnerable have posted maps where to go for safety and constant reminders are also provided to all municipal action officers of all Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Councils (MDDRCs) through regular meetings, trainings and now text messaging.

"We have also placed the PDRRMC signages now in vulnerable areas identified .This has been done on the first week of July this year specially on the areas where people have to be careful" Jayco said.

"Because Sorsogon has been identified by almost all global communities working on disaster risk reduction strategies and has been among those areas closely watched by international agencies working in DRR specially in the Climate Change impact, people here and the local government units have been very aware that any weather disturbance reported, they personally and collectively now should act based on the preemptive measure instituted by the local government units.

Local government units have spot maps in strategic areas in their barangays of places, number of persons most likely be affected and what should be the corresponding action implemented, all these were gained through the assistance and intervention of international communities provided to the province almost for 6 years now." Jayco explained.

The radio stations group here also spearheaded by the Kapisanan Ng Mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas (KBP) together with local television stations have forged commitment with government agencies like the Philippine Information Agency in the immediate information assistance and urgent concerns that need public dissemination.

According to Jose Lopez, officer-in-charge of the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Office (SPDRMO) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) also here present in the province like Green Valley, Coastal Core and Face through their manpower and logistics interventions strengthened coordinations were also enhanced with vulnerable communities.They have also assisted the province in the continuous trainings, community mapping and established local protocols specially in evacuation procedures.

The Department of Public Works and Highways have also maintained the clearing of trees together with SORECO I and II in the national and provincial roads as early as June in time for the celebration of Disaster Risk Reduction Month this July.

As early as 5:00 PM last Monday, the Philippine Coastguard here through Lt. JG Ronnie Ong has sent short messaging system (SMS) to partner agencies of the situation of the Roro points and immediate interventions by required agencies were also initiated from communication, road clearings and other needed assistance.

The Department of Public Works and Highways have also maintained the safety measures together with SORECO I and II specially the cutting of branches of trees that pose danger to the electric lines in the national and provincial roads as early as June in time for the celebration of Disaster Risk Reduction Month this July.

Basically, today according to Jayco they are glad that the province provided local communities more trainings and learnings aside from the installation of certain equipments like rain gauges in areas prone to landslides and flooding like Magallanes, Juban, Donsol and Irosin,

" What is very heartwarming now is the right attitude towards disaster risk reduction prevention and the attitude of the people of Sorsogon to become resilient in conditions like natural calamities.In fact this morning as observed even fallen branches were already cleaned from major thorough fares and the garbage trucks were busy loading them, Today here ,seemed just an ordinary day",Jayco stressed. (IAG, PIA Sorsogon)