Risk management body braces for rainy season

CEBU, Philippines - Slight rain showers were experienced in some areas in Cebu yesterday, a possible sign of the start of the rainy season.

But according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), they have yet to officially announce the start of the rainy season which is expected by the start of June.

Raffy Tapales of PAGASA Mactan said that they have a designated station that determines the shift from the summer to rainy season.

He explained that it is usually their station in the western side of the country which covers areas like Iloilo and Zambales that monitors if rain showers transpire within five consecutive days, recording up to 20 millimeters of rain. This is PAGASA’s basis of the start of the rainy season, said Tapales.

But even if the rainy season has not officially started yet, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has started reminding their counterparts in the Local Government Units all over the province to go through their checklist on risk reduction to make sure that they are ready for the change of season.

PDRRMC head Neil Sanchez met with Acting Governor Agnes Magpale yesterday to discuss preparations for the rainy season.

Sanchez told The FREEMAN that they started reminding their officers in municipalities and cities in the province to review their risk reduction plans and monitor closely high-risk areas in their respective jurisdictions.

Especially in areas prone to landslides and flooding, Sanchez said instructions have been given out to local officers that evacuations plans should be intact.

“We are focusing more on risk reduction,” he said.

Since he assumed office as head of PDRRMC last December, Sanchez said he has talked to Magpale about the need to strengthen the function of PDRRMC through the provision of much-needed equipment.

So far, Sanchez said they do not have complete search and rescue equipment as well as flood and water paraphernalia.

Sanchez said he has given Magpale the wishlist of PDRRMC and that they are optimistic it will be taken notice as new officials will occupy the top posts of the Capitol this July.

Further, Sanchez said he hopes politics will be set aside in LGUs where political realignment hopefully should not affect the already established plans for disaster preparedness.

He explained that with new officials in the other areas, local officers handling disaster and risk reduction may be replaced.

But he said that they have been working very hard to prepare risk reduction plans and their local officers in municipalities and cities are already aware of the situation in their respective areas and how they can address possible problems that may arise. –(FREEMAN)