RDRRMC 7 to conduct post-disaster assessment‘forms Rapid Assessment Team’
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Dec. 5 (PIA) -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 7 will conduct a post-assessmenthis week to determine the extent of damages wrought by Typhoon ‘Pablo’ .
RDRRMC 7 Chair Minda Morante earlier created the Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) for post-disaster assessment.
Critical areas to be given focus are damages to infrastructures including roads, bridges and buildings, crops and livestock for agriculture, irrigation facilities, school buildings and prices of basic goods and commodities.
Among the agencies included in the RAT are the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 7, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7, Department of Agriculture (DA) 7, Dep Ed 7, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) 7, National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) 7, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7, Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) 7, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 7 and Central Command.
Morante, who also heads the OCD 7, has asked member agencies of the RDRRMC 7 to submit reports three times a day before 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. so they could start consolidating the reports.
Though Typhoon ‘Pablo’ has not pounded Metro Cebu as anticipated as it was placed under signal no. 2 yesterday. 'Pablo' however swept through southern Cebu which was placed under signal no. 3 and likewise in the three provinces in the region --- Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Monsoon rains however, will continue to hover over Metro Cebu even as the storm has passed Central Visayas due to Pablo’s 500-kilometer diameter range, Pag asa reported.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – Central Visayas is still suspending the departure of sea vessels today especially in the south which remains under signal number two while some flights of Cebu Pacific are also cancelled today. (PIA 7)
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DSWD-7 sends hot meals for stranded passengers
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Dec. 5 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Field Office-7 has deployed social workers to assess the situation of the passengers stranded at Pier 3 in Cebu City after vessels from Cebu ports cancelled their trips to Bohol, Leyte, Ormoc, Camotes island, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Masbate and Nasipit on orders of the Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station.
Social Worker and Unit Head of the DSWD’s Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), Eppie Partosa, revealed that Cebu Port Manager Rene Antonio Bacon called her up early afternoon today to request for food augmentation for the 132 passengers (16 of them are children) now stranded at Pier 3. DSWD-7 delivered the dinner in a form of hot meals to stranded passengers.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday, DSWD had monitored 7 evacuation centers in Central Visayas. Four of which are in Negros Oriental serving 48 families with 228 family members in the towns of Vallehermoso, Sibulan and Tanjay City.
Meanwhile, the province of Bohol also put up three evacuation centers and reported 293 families served with 909 individuals. Affected municipalities included Buenavista, Calape and Sierra Bullones.
So far, the Department has pre-positioned its relief goods consist of food and non-food items in all four provinces region wide for immediate distribution.
Each pack consist of three kilos rice, canned goods for a family of six which is good for three days. These family packs are on stand by in case the local government units need augmentation support especially in far flung areas vulnerable to typhoon “Pablo” and other natural and man-made calamities.
With the 24-hour preparations and monitoring efforts, the DSWD as well as members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council hope to achieve zero casualty and help is done faster, easier and better.
The Department has mobilized all members of its Quick Response Team (QRT) to monitor round the clock the effects of the super typhoon and to ensure that relief assistance in the affected areas are delivered on time.(HFG/PIA-7/DSWD-7)