Local government units (LGUs) and other agencies in Mindanao are gearing up for the possible effects of La Niña after state weather bureau PAGASA declared the onset of the rainy season.

The Municipal Agriculture’s Office of Alabel, Sarangani urged farmers to apply for crop insurance so they could get assistance once their crops are damaged during a calamity.

“Dyan po talaga ang flood prone areas. Magpa insure tayo ng crops natin kasi open na ang insurance under sa pcic. Kapag insured ang ating crops incase of calamities may matatanggap na tayong insurance,” Engineer Rommel De Vega, agriculturist of OMAG-Alabel, said.

According to the Office of the Civil Defense-Soccsksargen (OCD-12), several areas in the region have been identified as flood-prone areas based on the hazard map.

These areas include Pikit, Kabacan, Carmen, Aleosan, Matalam, Tulunan, M’lang, and Pigcawayan in Cotabato, and some areas in South Cotabato.

OCD-12 also advised the different LGUs to map out their assistance, relief, and response initiatives during emergencies.

PAGASA-General Santos City also warned the public against possible landslides.

“Kung uga man gud ang yuta mas dugmok unya pag maulanan, dali ra mahumok unya landslide ang resulta,” PAGASA-GenSan Station Chief, Binrio Biñan, said.

In Cagayan de Oro, the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) has conducted routine inspection and accounting of search and rescue equipment in preparation for the possible effects of the bad weather.

This is to check the readiness of equipment and responders.

“Nagpakita kana nga we are very much capable nga mag conduct ug search and rescue and retrieval operations ilabi na during mga disasters,” PRO-10 Spokesperson, Major Joann Navarro, said.

(With reports from James Paolo Yap)