Govt prepared to face typhoon ‘Emong’ – NDCC

MANILA, Philippines – The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) assured the public Thursday that government agencies are prepared to assist those who would be affected by typhoon "Emong," which is forecast to make a landfall on Luzon Friday. NDCC deputy administrator Anthony Golez, Jr. on Thursday said the Health Department, the Social Welfare and Development, regional units of the Office of Civil Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are on standby to emergency situations during the storm. “Nasa SOP (standard operating procedures) naman po natin ang evacuation centers at pag-tulong ng NDCC sa pangangailangan ng mga evacuees, [Setting up evacuation centers and NDCC’s assistance are part of our standard operating procedures]" Golez said in an interview on dzBB radio. Local government units should be on alert to aid the AFP and PNP in disseminating safety information to the public down to the barangay level, he added, advising residents near coastal areas to strengthen the structure and foundation of their homes. In its 10:30 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Storm Signal No. 3 over Western Pangasinan, La Union, and Ilocos Sur. Under Signal No. 2 were Zambales, Tarlac, Eastern Pangasinan, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra and Ilocos Norte. Metro Manila was placed under Storm Signal No. 1 along with Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Lubang Island, Calamian Group of Islands, Cavite, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Northern Quezon, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Quirino, Isabela, Cagayan, Babuyan Islands and Batanes. In QTV’s Balitanghali report, Pangasinan’s Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council said they have learned a lesson from the devastation of tropical storm “Cosme," and that they wouldn’t allow Emong to do the same. In May 2008, Cosme struck Pangasinan, leaving 45 people dead. It also caused over P4 billion in damages to agriculture, infrastructure, and school buildings. – Katrina Elaine Alba, GMANews.TV