Gobyerno, handa na kay ‘Mawar’

TINIYAK ng administrasyong Marcos sa publiko na naghahanda na ito para sa posibleng epekto ng  tropical storm Mawar, partikular na sa mga rehiyon ng Ilocos at Cagayan Valley.

Sa press briefing sa Malakanyang, sinabi ni Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian na inihanda na ng kanyang departamento ang mga  goods o kalakal sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa bilang paghahanda sa anumang kaganapan.

“We have prepositioned goods … everywhere in the country,” ayon kay Gatchalian nang tanungin ukol sa  contingency para sa  nagbabadyang tropical storm.

“We have worked with PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration) on the modeling that it seems going to, it seems at this point, kasi it’s very early. It’s going to affect Regions II, Regions I, all the way to Batanes,” ayon sa Kalihim.

Ani Gatchalian, nagawa na aniya ng  Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na magdagdag ng stockpile ng food packs sa northern Luzon bilang preparasyon para sa bagyo.

“Right now, ang average kasi nila will be around 30 to 50,000 in those two regions, independently of each other. Naka-preposition na iyon. But we are doubling it up.  The goal here is to double it before the end of business tomorrow,” ang pahayag ni  Gatchalian sabay sabing sinimulan na nila ang mobilisasyon nito lamang weekend.

Ang  food packs ay para sa mga lugar na mayroong  DSWD field offices na kasalukuyan ngayong nakikipagtulungan sa local government units para sa  logistical support.

Tiniyak naman ni Gatchalian na may sapat na pondo na gagamitin para sa  disaster response at ang quick response fund (QRF) mula sa  national government ay available.

“Remember in the quick response fund natin, part n’ya is preparedness, making sure that handa tayo even before the storms come in. At DSWD, we have a full department doing disaster response,” paliwanag nito.

“It’s not a one-shot deal na kapag may bagyo lang na dumadating. All year long, they do these types of stockpiling activities, identifying, and when I was signed up, we were talking about… we are trying to expand our warehouse system.  That is what we are utilizing now, the warehouse system — the LGUs or (that of the) national government or (concerned) national government agencies.”  litaniya ng Kalihim. (Daris Jose)