By: Franklin P. Gumapon
PAGADIAN CITY – As the dry spell wrought by
El Niño phenomenon is decaying away, the Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG)-9 is urging all government agencies in Zamboanga Peninsula
(ZamPen) to prepare for La Niña which may bring heavy rains.
In a disaster preparedness meeting held here yesterday, July
13, DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil has called on all agencies
particularly the local government units (LGUs) to always prepare for any disaster,
be it natural or human induced.
“Disaster preparedness is a very important concern. Let us
collectively agree among ourselves as to the approaches and strategies to
mitigate the impact of any disaster,” Abutazil said.
The meeting also tackled the National Disaster Preparedness
Plan (NDPP) for 2015-2028, Operation Listo, Gabay at Mapa para sa Listong
Pamilya, Regional Disaster Preparedness Plan, La Niña updates and presentation
of preparedness reports by provincial/city disaster risk reduction management
offices.
Moreover, Ms. Maribel Enriquez, chief meteorologist of
PAG-ASA-9, reported that “Asia is home to 80 percent of natural disasters and
the Philippines is second in terms of vulnerability to natural hazards.”
PAG-ASA forecasts that eight to 14 tropical cyclones may
develop/enter the country starting June to December this year.
Some 36 representatives
from the DILG, Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP), Philippine Army (PA), Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Philippine Coast Guard
(PCG), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and provincial/city disaster risk
reduction management offices attended the said meeting.