DILG urges LGUs to prepare clusters for disaster casualties ahead of typhoons

Ahead of the typhoon months, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on local government units (LGUs) to create and operationalize local clusters that will be in charge of handling casualties of calamities.

The DILG, in a news release, said it is embarking on a "heightened preparedness" for the upcoming typhoon season, which necessitates the activation of the clusters for the "management of dead and missing persons (MDM)."

As the lead agency of the national and regional MDM cluster, the DILG emphasized the need for "clear coordination among LGUs, national agencies, and response partners to ensure orderly processes, accurate documentation, and dignified handling of disaster casualties."

This is also in line with the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to further strengthen local disaster readiness and ensure "swift, organized, and humane response during emergencies."

Under Memorandum Circular No. 2026-003, LGUs and partner agencies are instructed to organize and activate local MDM clusters within their jurisdictions to ensure systematic and well-coordinated operations before, during, and after disasters.

"Local MDM clusters are mandated to strengthen coordination mechanisms, align preparedness plans, and support response and recovery efforts in close coordination with Incident Command Posts (ICPs). Pre-positioned MDM teams shall be deployed as needed, report to the ICP on the ground, and operate in accordance with the approved MDM action plan," the DILG said.

The department further directed local MDM teams to work closely with the Search, Rescue, and Retrieval (SRR) Cluster to support search operations and ensure proper recording and validation of all MDM-related data, including cases involving foreign nationals affected by disasters in the country.

"MDM teams shall be deactivated only after all reported cases have been verified, validated, and accurately reflected in official situation reports," the DILG said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News