Cebu braces for Seniang

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu has prepared for tropical storm Seniang’s arrival today, with disaster councils of the different local government units already on alert so they could respond immediately to emergencies.

The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, in particular, is under blue alert and is monitoring the whole province due to the storm.

PDRRMO Chief Baltazar Tribunalo Jr said that under the blue alert status, all equipment and personnel are placed on standby and that other preparations have already been made.

He said that LGUs have already been informed and are highly prepared for the typhoon.

He said they have initially monitored that some rocks have slid to the road at the Transcentral Highway but that no one has been reported hurt.

In a similar move, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council even raised its status from blue to red alert.

“Full alert na gyud ta karon. Tutok na tanan, on station atong rescuers based sa atong nakita nga development sa weather,” said City Councilor and CCDRRMC Chief David Tumulak.

He said all the 80 barangays, especially those with flood-prone and landslide-prone areas, were already advised to take precautionary measures.

“Atong gipahimangnoan… nga magmatngon gyud kanunay ug mag-monitor sa weather,” Tumulak said.

He again reminded all barangays to submit at least 100 cell phone numbers of their respective constituents to the City Hall Command Center for easy dissemination of information.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Erson Digal, Police Regional Office-7 regional operations and planning division chief, said all police officers were ordered to wear their Search and Rescue uniforms and prepare to move out any time.

PRO-7 declared a heightened alert in the entire Central Visayas yesterday as the region braces for Seniang.

Digal said they have also directed all provincial and city directors to submit hourly reports to the regional headquarters on the status in their areas of responsibility, especially if there are places experiencing flashfloods and landslides.

As of press time, he said, they have not received a single request for pre-emptive evacuation from the lower units.

Digal said their equipment are already set for possible search and rescue operations.

Tribunalo, on the other hand, also assured that some barangays, especially those in landslide-prone areas, have already asked their residents to go to evacuation centers.

Governor Hilario Davide III said that the evacuation of the residents depend on the assessment of the barangays and LGU officials. 

 “Let me assure our brothers and sisters that our PDRRMO is on standby in case they have to respond to some emergency,” he said, adding that food packs are ready in case the Capitol needs to send some to evacuation centers.

Also, the Provincial Board yesterday authorized Davide to “undertake appropriate negotiations and enter into agreement with competent financial institutions that offer the best possible terms beneficial to the provincial government.”

It was in relation to the plan to “acquire brand new heavy duty equipment and vehicles in the amount of P200 million for use in the construction and maintenance of provincial and barangay roads in the Province of Cebu.”

The heavy equipment would likewise be used during and after disasters like typhoons in clearing roads affected by landslides and flooding.  — AJ de la Torre-Orong, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/RHM