The Philippine National Police (PNP) placed Police Regional Offices (PRO) 11 (Davao) and 13 (Caraga) on full alert Friday to assist in rescue and humanitarian efforts following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Davao Oriental.
At a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said PRO-11 activated “Oplan Kalsada” to offer free rides to commuters, maintain road safety, and prepare for security deployment in evacuation centers.
“Naka-ready yung mga tao natin na mag-provide ng security doon sa mga evacuation center. Sa ngayon, as of this report, bagamat mayroon na silang na-establish na ilan na, pero wala pang mga taong nandoon,”
Tuaño said.
He added that a full assessment of the damage, including that of police stations, is still underway. Police drones have been deployed to help evaluate the situation.
In the Davao Region, the Panabo City Police Station reported damage to its water tank, while a perimeter fence at the Talaingod Municipal Police Station was affected. In Butuan City, the Magsaysay Bridge sustained damage and was temporarily closed to motorists. Power outages were also reported in parts of the region.
“Sa lahat ng apektado, yung dalawang regions (Davao Region and Caraga) ay naka-full alert… Iyong Caraga, mas madali siya nakapag-submit ng situation report,”
Tuaño said.
The PNP also urged local chief executives to follow the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) advisory on forced evacuation and safety measures amid the tsunami warning issued after the quake.
Residents in coastal areas of Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental were advised to move to higher ground or inland areas for safety.
