By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday called on local government units (LGUs) to prepare for the impact of bad weather caused by the southwest monsoon (habagat).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared on Monday the start of the rainy season, citing that scattered to widespread rainshowers has been observed in the past five days due to “habagat”.
In a memorandum circular, the DILG urged LGUs to adopt proactive measures anchored on the Operation Listo protocols for hydrometeorological hazards in compliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to mitigate the effects of calamities.
They are instructed to ensure that emergency operations centers have adequate personnel and equipment, and to activate local incident management teams trained in the incident command system.
Local governments must also identify and prepare structurally sound evacuation centers with essential facilities such as sanitation, medical aid, and designated areas for vulnerable groups.
These should be regularly inspected and upgraded based on safety standards and capacity requirements. They are also advised to revise their contingency and action plans based on local assessments of areas prone to floods, storm surges, and landslides.
Simulation drills and community exercises to test response and evacuation procedures should also be conducted.
The LGUs are reminded to strictly implement no-build zones in high-risk areas and to ensure that emergency services and supply chains remain operational during severe weather conditions.
The Operation Listo is DILG’s flagship disaster preparedness program that promotes a whole-of-government approach to resilient local governance. (PNA)
