RDRRMC 7 is prepared for T. Pablo as it hits C. Visayas tonight
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, December 4 (PIA) – Members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 7 are prepared and have mapped out the necessary measures as Typhoon Pablo is due to hit Central Visayas tonight.
RDRRMC 7 Chair and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 7 Regional Director Minda Morante said they have activated the command control center based at the Media Conference Room of the Police Regional Office 7 in Cebu City.
Morante who presided over the media briefing on disaster preparedness for Typhoon Pablo late this morning asked each member agency to report on the actions taken as part of their disaster preparations.
Suspension is in place on sea vessels, flights as well as classes in all levels in Central Visayas as the provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and southern Cebu are under signal number 3 while the rest of Cebu and Camotes Island are under signal number 2.
During the briefing, the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command reported that they are on red alert status since last night and all personnel in the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Army under CentCom are on standby.
“We have also put on standby our resources such as two choppers, eight navy boats and two rubber boats for emergency,” CentCom Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus said.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) 7 Deputy Commander Capt. Anelito Gabisan on the other hand, said they have denied departure of 64 vessels and nine motorized bancas as of 8 a.m. today.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 has increased their food packs from 2,000 to 3,000 for Cebu alone while their provincial offices will get their food allocation at the local National Food Authority in their respective areas.
For the Department of Health (DOH) 7, medicine supplies have been prepositioned in case they are needed as they will just come in to augment whatever medicines are lacking in the different provinces in the region.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 has also placed on standby equipment necessary for clearing operations such as backhoe, fork lift and dump trucks.
Assistant Regional Director Elias Fernandez of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) 7 said all the local government units (LGUs) have already convened their respective provincial, city and municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils.
Geologist Emil Berador of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 advised LGUs to refer to their geohard maps for the needed interventions.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 7 meanwhile has intensified its monitoring efforts and informed media to access the official PIA Central Visayas facebook and twitter accounts for the latest situationer reports from their various information centers.
Vangie Tolentino of PAGASA Mactan disclosed that although the sustained winds, gustiness and area diameter have decreased but the decreased slow movement of the typhoon at 20kph from 26 kph would be more damaging.
“The slow movement of the typhoon would mean that it would stay longer in the area with significant impact. Also, the rains would still be heavy to intense so everybody should remain vigilant and prepare for the necessary measures,” Tolentino said. (PIA 7)
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Cebu guv tells mayors to use calamity funds for disaster preparedness
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, Dec 4 (PIA) -- Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia firmly reminded mayors here to use their calamity funds and open their credit with the National Food Authority (NFA) as part of their disaster preparations as strong typhoon "Pablo" is expected to hit the southern part of the province Wednesday evening.
“The Capitol is ready to help local government units anytime but they are the first line of responders so we will just augment their needs," according to Garcia during a meeting with members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) which she presided Tuesday.
The latest Pagasa report Tuesday p.m. already placed Cebu under storm signal number one along with the province of Siquijor.
“Typhoon Pablo will affect towns within a 600-kilometer (km) diameter area bringing along between 20 to 30 millimeters of rainfall,” said Pagasa Mactan Chief Engr. Oscar Tabada during a presentation of the latest weather updates at the PDRRMC meeting.
Typhoon Pablo has maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gustiness of up to 210 kph, said Pagasa.
Garcia on the other hand, told her provincial social welfare officer Marivic Garces to give more attention to Cebu’s southern localities as these would be the ones directly affected, but not discounting the needs of the northern areas of the province as well.
“Please remind mayors to take care of the food provisions especially take care of fishermen who are not allowed to fish at this time. Mayors should also open their credit with the NFA to provide for the rice needs of affected families,” Garcia ordered Garces.
In the same meeting, Garces reported that since December 2, they had already sent advisories to various local chief executives to activate their respective local disaster risk reduction and management councils.
“We have also texted the local social welfare officers including the warning to be given to the fishermen not to go to sea this time,” said Garces.
Garces also told the governor that the Capitol has enough stock of food and their warehouses are opened and that the personnel assigned in these areas have been ordered to stay put in their stations based in Badian, Tudela in Camotes Island, Bogo City, and Sta Fe in Bantayan Island.
Representatives of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command also gave assurance that their personnel are ready and prepared in times of emergency situations and rescue operations. (PIA 7)
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600 passengers stranded in C. Visayas ports - Coast Guard
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, Dec 4 (PIA) -- Six hundred nineteen passengers were stranded in various ports in Central Visayas following the suspension of sea vessels by the Philippine Coast Guard in Region 7(PCG-7) due to typhoon "Pablo" which will hit all four provinces of Region 7 tonight.
Out of the 619 stranded passengers, 446 passengers were in Cebu; 153 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; and 11 at the Bohol port said PCG 7 Deputy Commander Capt. Anelito Gabisan, during the media briefing of the disaster council on disaster preparedness for typhoon Pablo
“Based on our DOTC Memo Circular, suspension of vessels is automatic during signal number one irregardless of tonnage capacity of the vessel,” said Gabisan.
Gabisan said that unlike before, depending on the tonnage capacity, bigger vessels are allowed to travel even during storm signal number one. But now, even bigger vessels are no longer allowed to sail even at signal number one and this is automatic, he added.
“There are also 19 rolling cargoes that have stranded of which four are in Cebu and 15 cargoes in Dumaguete City,” disclosed Gabisan.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, 64 vessels and nine motorized bancas have been denied departure, according to Gabisan.
The RDRRMC 7 in its report also stated that there is a suspension of all flights in-bound and outbound in Central Visayas.
The provinces of Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor as well as southern Cebu are placed under signal number three while the rest of Cebu and Camotes Island are under signal number two based on the latest PAGASA weather bulletin.
Likewise, classes have been suspended in all levels, both public and private, in Region 7. (PIA 7)
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Dumaguete City prepares for typhoon “Pablo” suspends classes, work
By Minerva BC. Newman
CENTRAL VISAYAS, Dec. 4 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City mayor Manuel Sagarbarria declared suspension of classes and work in government offices in the City today, December 4 after Pag-asa placed Negros Oriental under signal no. 2, Monday.
Sagarbarria earlier led a team from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in going around the 30 barangays in the city especially the coastal areas to inspect the barangay halls which will be used as evacuation centers.
In the advent of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) games now ongoing in Dumaguete City, Sagarbarria said they will use churches and barangay halls as evacuation centers as the schools are being used by CVIRAA athletes.
DepEd NegOr division Supt. Salustiano Jimenez assured the delegates of the CVIRAA that necessary precautionary measures are undertaken to protect the athletes from typhoon Pablo.
In a PDRRMC meeting today, Sibulan mayor Marcela Bartoces ordered the local Philippine National Police forces and the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee to conduct pre-emptive evacuation to mitigate the impact of an impending typhoon.
The Dumaguete City Risk Reduction Management Council is now also readying its Session Hall and turning it into a command center for disaster operations.
Meanwhile, per the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in Negros Oriental, plane flights in and out of the Dumaguete airport are on normal operations.
As of the morning of December 3, the CAAP has not received advisories from Cebu Pacific or Air Phil of flight cancellations.
In a related development, Silliman University advised its students and parents on the following: Signal 1 - NO classes for the School of Basic Education; Signal 2 - NO classes for SBE & college and suspension of office work. (PIA-7)
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Geosciences bureau urges LGUs to revisit geohazard maps,
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Dec 4 (PIA) -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau - Region 7 (MGB-7) is calling on local officials to revisit the geohazard maps to see where landslides and flooding advisories are color coded in relation to the heavy rains that come with typhoon "Pablo."
MGB-7 regional director Loreto Alburo made the appeal following a warning from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) that an Ondoy-like rain with a gustiness of typhoon Ruping is expected to hit Cebu and the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao areas.
“The high flooding susceptibility are due to proximity to the river system, poor drainage facilities, inherently low-lying area, proximity to coastal area, heavily silted river or creek, and encroachment along natural drainage channels,” he added.
Flooding occurs when the level of a body of water rises until it overflows its natural or artificial confines and submerges land in the surrounding area due to intense and prolonged precipitation and other geologic factors.
Meanwhile, Alburo also issued today features that might be noticed prior to major land sliding and these include springs, seeps, or saturated ground in areas that have not typically been wet before; new cracks or unusual bulges in the ground, street pavements or sidewalks.
Soil moving away from foundations; ancillary structures such as decks and patios tilting and/or moving relative to the main house; tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations; broken water lines and other underground utilities; and leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls, or fences.
He also urged local chief executives to get hold of geohazard maps, and implement the necessary measures to reduce the impact of landslides and flooding within their areas of responsibility.
“Areas which have been declared as 'highly susceptible' to either landslides or flooding, and 'no habitation' zones should be strictly carried out by the local chief executives,” he added.
In Cebu City, 19 barangays are highly susceptible landslides, namely, Lusaran, Binaliw, Guba, Budlaan, Malubog, Buot-Taup, Busay, Sirao, Taptap, Tagbao, Tabunan, Pung-ol Sibugay,Sudlon II, Sudlon I, Sinsin, Buhisan, Pamutan, Sapangdaku, and Adlaon.
Barangays Tagjaguimit, Alpaco, Balirong, Mayana, Naalad, and Cogon in City of Naga are also susceptible to landslide.
Eleven barangays in Balamban-- Hingatmonan, Lamesa, Luca, Ginatilan, Cabasiangan, Matun-og, Cansomoroy, Gaas, Magsaysay, Cabagdalan, and Duangan; five barangays in Toledo City: Tungkay, Pangamihan, Bagacay, Loay and Don Andres Soriano and Lamac in Pinamungahan were also listed as landslide prone.
Five barangays in Asturias:Agbanga, Baye, Bairan, Kanluangan, and Sak-sak; 12 barangays in Catmon: Amancion, Anapog, Bactas, Bongyas, Ambangkaya, Cabungaan, Can-ibuang, Duyan, Ginabucan, Panalipan, Tabili, and Tinabyonan and all mountain barangays in Talisay City; Brgy. Doldol, Purok 3 in Dumanjug; and Cansalonoy in Ronda are also prone to landslides.
Alburo said the assessment reveals that there are five barangays in Cebu City that are considered to be most hazardous to flooding and these are Kasambagan, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Mabolo, and Bonbon.
Seven barangays in Mandaue City to include Subangdaku, Mantuyong, Umapad, Opao, Alang-alang, Guizo, and Pakna-an are flood prone.
In a related development, Alburo notified all operating mines and quarries in region 7 to extend the necessary assistance should the need arises.(mbcn/HFG-PIA-7/DENR-7)
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PNoy visits Cebu
CEBU CITY, December 4 (PIA) -- President Benigno Aquino III visited Cebu on November 30 concurrent to the celebration of the National Thanksgiving Mass for the Visayan Saint Pedro Calungsod, not just to grace the celebration but to personally know some problems the province faces.
Aquino said that since he was not able to attend the canonization rites of the Visayan and second Filipino Saint San Pedro Calungsod in Rome, he really found time and effort to accept the invitation of Emeritus Cardinal Vidal to attend the National Thanksgiving Mass at SRP, Cebu on November 30.
“Bilang hindi talaga tayo nagkaroon ng pagkakataton na makadalo sa canonization ni San Pedro Calungsod , pinagsikapan talaga natin at pinipilit bilang tugon na rin sa imbitasyon ni Cardinal Vidal na tayo’y makadalo sa National Thanksiving Mass,” Aquino said.
He added that being here in Cebu already, he will then used his time to know the real status of the province and to know some problems if there are any; the province is facing at present.
The president also pledged to make a move for the proposed Trans Rapid Transit Station here in Cebu since the budget allocation for infrastructure for the country already reached to P10B.
“Gagawa tayo nga mga hakbang patungo doon,” he said.
In his meeting with some public officials in the province, the President noted that Cebu has minor problems one of which is the traffic situation that needs immediate action. (mbcn/AYS/PIA, Cebu)