Tropical Storm Opong (international name Bualoi) prompted the Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) to place the region under red alert as officials braced for heavy rains, floods, and landslides.
In an interview, Office of Civil Defense-Bicol (OCD) director and RDRRMC chair Claudio Yucot instructed disaster response clusters, along with provincial, city, and municipal councils, to carry out preemptive measures, including possible evacuations in high-risk communities.
He also released a memorandum ordering councils to prepare evacuation centers, secure communication lines, and organize logistics.
The RDRRMC mobilized response assets with support from the Philippine Army, Air Force, Navy, Philippine National Police, and Coast Guard.
It also activated national agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Police Regional Office-5, and the Joint Task Force Bicolandia.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the OCD took charge of logistics. While, cluster leads placed their teams on standby and activated Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) personnel for deployment immediately after the storm’s impact. Local DRRMCs tested communication systems to maintain coordination during emergency operations, Yucot said.
He also reminded local governments to keep evacuation centers ready, stockpile supplies, and alert residents in flood-, landslide-, lahar-, and storm-surge-prone areas for possible evacuation.
The council also imposed a no-sailing policy for small fishing boats and motorized passenger bancas starting Thursday. It directed LGUs to clear drainage systems and cut down trees along major roads to protect communities from hazards.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.