NDRRMC under full alert status due to Maymay, Habagat — Palace

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has raised a full alert status due to the effects of Tropical Depression Maymay and the Southwest Monsoon, Malacañang said Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said this was in response to the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., to ensure the government’s preparedness and immediate response amid the inclement weather.

“Ipinag-utos ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang kahandaan ng pamahalaan upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng mga residente sa mga apektadong lugar,” Castro said at a Palace briefing.

(President Marcos Jr. ordered the government to be prepared to ensure the safety of residents in the affected areas.)

She said that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has rescue personnel and equipment on standby, and the agency is also coordinating with all disaster risk reduction and management offices and the 17 local government units across the region.

A strict pre-emptive evacuation is also being implemented in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas, including those in coastal zones.

Aside from operational pumping stations, mobile pumps are also in place, and preemptive pumping is being conducted to increase the carrying capacity of waterways.

Citing information from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Castro said that the government has allocated nearly P1.8 million for humanitarian assistance to those who will be affected by the weather disturbances.

The Palace official also said the DSWD has distributed family food packs, ready-to-eat food items, and sleeping kits to residents in Benguet, La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Albay, and Zamboanga City.

In total, she noted that the government has prepared over 5 million family food packs for affected areas, while the standby funds is at P1.6 billion.

“Handa ang Pangulo at ang pamahalaan sa anumang sakuna,” Castro said.

(The President and the government are prepared for any disaster.)

As of 11 a.m. on Thursday, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was in effect over 16 areas in Luzon as Tropical Depression Maymay moved over Tanudan, Kalinga, according to state weather bureau PAGASA. — RSJ, GMA News