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Zarate hits telcos over delayed text alerts on Typhoon Ompong


Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate on Thursday accused telecommunication companies of violating the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Law due to the supposedly delayed text alerts providing information about Typhoon Ompong.

"Up until now, we have not received reports that residents of the northern provinces to be hit by Ompong have received any disaster alerts," Zarate said in a statement.

"Even us here in NCR [National Capital Region], we should receive text alerts about the incoming storm but not one alert has been sent," he added.

Signed by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2014, the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Law requires providers to send out alerts as instructed by PAGASA, Phivolcs, the NDRRMC, and other agencies in the event of an impending tropical storm, typhoon, tsunami or other calamities.

Zarate pointed out that the purpose of the law is to help preserve lives and property by sending out free text alerts to subscribers.

But the objective of the law is defeated due to the lateness or worse, "non-existence" of text alerts, he added.

"When we authored the law, the purpose was for the text alerts to contain a description of the disaster, and during the disaster the evacuation centers. After the disaster the text should contain the location of  relief distribution, but text messages they sent in the past do not contain important information as intended by the law," Zarate said.

"Paspasan dapat ng mga telcos at NDRRMC ang paglalabas ng mga text alerts para ma-warningan ang ating mga kababayan na tatamaan ni Ompong upang makapaghanda sila ng mabuti," he added.

As of Thursday afternoon, Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over 38 areas, including Metro Manila, as Typhoon Ompong continues to threaten Northern Luzon. — BM, GMA News

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