BICOL ON RED ALERT FOR ‘ENTENG,’ LGUS SUSPEND CLASSES

THE Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Bicol has placed all disaster response offices in the region on red alert status to prepare for the possible effects of Tropical Depression (TD) “Enteng.”

Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairperson  Claudio Yucot said the raising of alert status from blue to red is necessary as “Enteng”  is expected to bring moderate to heavy with at times heavy rains in the region. 

He said response clusters with various national government agencies as lead agencies are activated such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development for food and non-food items and camp coordination and management in case of evacuation, Department of Information and Communications Technology for emergency telecommunications, Police Regional Office-5 for law and order, Joint Task Force Bicolandia for search, rescue, and retrieval, the Department of Public Works and Highways for debris cleaning, Department of the Interior and Local Government for management of the dead and missing and OCD for logistics.

Yucot also ordered the Philippine Coast Guard and all Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices to ensure that the no-sailing policy is implemented.

Several local government units have decided to suspend classes on Monday, September 2, due to “Enteng.”

Among the areas that suspend Monday classes are Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon province, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Naga City, Sorsogon City, Northern Samar, Kidapawan City,, Sta. Cruz in Laguna, San Pascual, Masbate, Antipolo, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Cainta, San Juan City, Pasay City, Las Pinas, Caloocan, Paranaque City, Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Malabon and Taguig.

Yucot advised provincial and local DRMMCs to explore all means of communicating advisories to the community amid possible interruptions of electricity, mobile, and internet connections. 

“All response assets must be ready for deployment and close monitoring of the respective area of responsibilities,” he added. 

As of the 2 p.m. bulletin, several Bicol provinces were placed under signal no.1 as “Enteng” maintained its strength moving northwestward.

Signal no. 1 was raised over the eastern portion of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes province, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, Ticao Island of Masbate province, the eastern portion of Isabela and eastern portion of Aurorain Luzon; and Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and the northeastern portion of Leyte.

In its forecast, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Enteng” will move generally northwestward until early morning of Monday, September 2, and it may make landfall in the vicinity of Catanduanes or Albay in the next 12 hours.