RDRRMC Central Luzon conducts info, relief campaign in Pampanga

By Dondi S. De Luna

Wednesday 8th of August 2012

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, August 8 (PIA) -- The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Central Luzon has been disseminating timely advisories using various media.

Information include weather, general flood advisories, flood advisories, flood bulletin, gale warning and weather forecast to all DRRMC’s affected areas through the medium of SMS, facsimile, email and uploaded the same on Facebook for faster dissemination to the Provincial, City, Municipal and Barangay.

Based on the RDRRMC Central Luzon statistics, a total of 108,444 families and 472,868 persons are affected in 381 Barangays of six provinces namely: Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. The RDRRMC Central Luzon is currently serving 8,802 families or 40,816 persons in evacuation centers.

RDRRMC Central Luzon is continuously coordinating with the member agencies and local responders regarding requests for assistance and evacuation.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines led in the disaster response operations in Castillejos, San Antonio and Botolan all in Zambales province subsequently 1 truck and 8-man team from 703 Brigade is deployed at Pampanga Capitol. They also deployed 2 M35 trucks and 14 personnel to DSWD to augment delivery of goods and relief items and 1 SOCOL helicopter for ocular inspection and stand-by two rescue teams and 3 trucks.

While Philippine Army North Luzon Command (NOLCOM) special forces, led by Lt. Gen. Anthony Alcantara, deployed around 500 Philippine Army equipped by 6 rubber boats, six 4x4km trucks and five 6x6 trucks to help in massive rescue operations in flood-hit areas in Bulacan submerged by torrential rains brought by southwest monsoon.

Pampanga PDRMMC reported that Mayor Jerry Pelayo of Candaba provided 1 rubber boat to PDRRMC Bataan to augment the evacuation efforts being conducted by Bataan PDRRMC. They also issued 500 pieces of empty sacks to Parian, Mexico and 2000 pieces empty sacks to San Isidro, Anac, San Isidro Matua, Malauli, Sta Lucia, Paguiba and Masantol for sand bagging operations.

The RDRRMC Central Luzon, led by its Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense Regional director Josefina Timoteo, also conducted an aerial inspection to assess the depth of the flood water in flood stricken areas in the province.

“During the aerial inspection, some parts of Pampanga are submerged in knee-deep to 5-feet deep flood waters. Many of the residents of Lubao and Guagua are outside their houses monitoring the situation of flooded areas.”

“I was accompanied by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director Florida Dijan, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director Adelina Apostol, National Economic Development and Authority (NEDA) Assistant Regional Director Victor Ubaldo, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Regional Director Robert Baldago, representative from Department of Health (DOH) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” Timoteo added.

The inspection is one of the action plan organized by the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) since they start being on alert status last July 28. (RmB/DdL/PIA3/PAMPANGA)