The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) for the Bicol Region has officially raised its Alert Level status to RED as of 10:00 A.M. on Monday. This escalation places the entire region under the Charlie or High-Risk protocol in anticipation of the impacts of Tropical Depression “Kristine.”
Claudio Yucot, Director of the Office of Civil Defense for the Bicol Region and Chairperson of the RDRRMC, issued a memorandum earlier today directing all member agencies and Provincial and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to implement the measures outlined in the Charlie protocol.
The Charlie protocol signifies the highest emergency preparedness, necessitating immediate action from the RDRRMC and Local DRRMCs to protect communities and ensure an effective and timely response. The RDRRMC’s response clusters have been activated, including the Health Cluster, Food and Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Management, Emergency Telecommunications, Law and Order, Logistics, Search, Rescue, and Retrieval, Debris Clearing, Strategic Communication, Early Recovery, and Management of the Dead and the Missing. Various regional government agencies are coordinating these clusters.
In light of the impending storm, Secretary Teodoro emphasized the importance of proactive planning: “Let us do the necessary planning and be updated with relevant information so that we are guided accordingly. We are closely coordinating with all the concerned agencies for a comprehensive and cohesive action plan.” He noted that predictive analysis from the Department of Social Welfare and Development indicates that the tropical cyclone may potentially affect over a million individuals.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has directed its regional offices to undertake preparedness measures for Kristine, as the rainbands of the potential tropical cyclone may bring moderate to heavy rains over the Bicol region, Samar provinces, and other areas starting Tuesday. Precautionary steps include heightened monitoring of warnings and advisories from PAGASA, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and other surveillance agencies; conducting pre-disaster risk assessment and weather update sessions as necessary; intensified dissemination of critical weather information to vulnerable communities; coordination with local authorities to ensure timely distribution of warnings and updates; and preparation of evacuation plans. Additionally, situational reports must be submitted to the National Risk Reduction and Management Council operations center.
OCD Administrator Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno remarked, “We hope the vulnerable communities heed our call to prepare for Kristine, our 11th tropical cyclone this year. Please help us in our continued efforts to ensure your safety and survival at all times.” He also reminded the public that the Department of Science and Technology and PAGASA should be their primary sources of official weather updates to prevent misinformation.
Tropical Depression Kristine is expected to cause moderate to heavy rainfall in the Bicol Region in the coming days. Affected communities are urged to remain vigilant, take necessary preparedness measures, and heed authorities’ warnings.