Nearly 40,000 emergency personnel are on standby nationwide as the Philippines braces for the impact of Typhoons Dante and Emong, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced Wednesday.
OCD Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Raffy Alejandro said search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) assets have been mobilized, including 15,000 troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. ‘‘That’s nationwide’’ they’re all on standby,’’ Alejandro said during a briefing.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has deployed 26,000 personnel, while the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has placed 5,000 personnel on alert, Alejandro added. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has also prepositioned three million family food packs across the country.
‘‘For emergency telecommunications, we have 10 mobile emergency teams ready. In terms of air support, 28 helicopters are on standby,’’ he said. Additionally, nine fixed-wing aircraft, 19 naval vessels from the Philippine Navy, 23 patrol vessels from the Coast Guard, and several smaller rescue boats from the BFP are ready for deployment. The Armed Forces have committed 1,600 land vehicles for disaster response and logistics.
Government agencies continue to monitor the twin typhoons as they approach the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
Classes at all levels and government work have been suspended in multiple areas across the Philippines on Thursday, July 24, due to prevailing weather conditions.
The affected provinces and Metro Manila include Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Quezon Province, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Sorsogon, Romblon, Masbate, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Antique, Iloilo, Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac,
Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal Government offices in these areas are also closed, except for personnel involved in essential and emergency services who are expected to report for duty.
Several local government units (LGUs) meanwhile declared a state of calamity in their jurisdictions.
The declaration allows LGUs to access quick response funds and speed up disaster relief efforts in affected communities.
As of 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, the following areas have declared a state of calamity:
- Metro Manila
- Quezon City
- Malabon
- Manila
- Ilocos Region
- Pangasinan (Dagupan City, Umingan)
- Central Luzon
- Bulacan (Balagtas, Calumpit)
- Tarlac (Paniqui)
- CALABARZON
- Cavite
- Rizal (Cainta, San Mateo)
- MIMAROPA
- Palawan (Roxas)
- Central Visayas
- Cebu City
- Western Visayas
- Antique (Barbaza, Sebaste)
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 29 cities and municipalities were under a state of calamity as of Wednesday morning. That number is expected to increase, as the state weather bureau warns of the possibility that Typhoons Dante and Emong may interact, resulting in stronger winds and heavier rains.
In response to the worsening weather conditions and declarations of state of calamity, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued a price freeze advisory in affected areas to prevent overpricing of basic goods.
