Laoag CDRRMC ready for typhoon season

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

Laoag City—The city government here is prepared for any eventuality or calamity.

City government administrator Cipriano Hilarion “Perry” Martinez III made this statement as he also expressed hopes that Laoag City would be spared from violent typhoons and other calamities.

Mr. Martinez said the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) is better prepared now than they were in the past. He disclosed that the CDRRMC now has the equipment and personnel needed for their functions.

The administrator stressed that relief goods for calamity victims is still the most vital in the CDRRMC’s overall plan. In line with this, the Laoag government signed a memorandum of agreement with the big supermarkets in the city for the purchase of goods and commodities during typhoons.

Evacuation centers have also been re-identified as families from coastal barangays that would be evacuated will be brought to elementary and secondary schools located at the city’s business district. This is on top of another MOA with Mariano Marcos State University and Divine Word College of Laoag that allows parts of their respective campuses to serve as evacuation areas.

Meanwhile, city social welfare and development officer Aurora Corpuz also said that they already have needed relief goods for calamity victims. She added that they recently received 200 boxes of bottled water from the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development regional office.

Dr. Melvin Manuel, CDRRC head, for his part emphasized that search and rescue team personnel recently underwent a rigorous training in first aid as well as rescue operations.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod also passed a resolution renewing an existing MOA between the city government and the National Food Authority (NFA) for the acquisition of rice during calamities.