DILG to Mayors: Aim for Zero Casualty

An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered local chief executives (LCEs) to ensure immediate government response in their respective territories once typhoon ‘Ompong’ strikes.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said the LCEs, as chairpersons of their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, must be present in their local government units during onslaught of the storm.

“Those who fail to show up and remain absent when Ompong rakes through the country will be sanctioned by the Department,” he added.

According to the DILG OIC-Secretary, the DILG is aiming for zero casualty with the entrance of Typhoon Ompong (internationally named Mangkhut) this afternoon.

“We have been forewarned as early as last week that ‘Ompong’ is no ordinary typhoon and is similar to ‘Yolanda’. Let us brace our communities and urge our people to also make the necessary preparations for their families. Being a resilient people, let’s aim for zero casualty,” said Año.

The DILG came up with a Disaster Preparedness Manual for Local Government Units to strengthen the capacity while preserving the flexibility of LGUs in responding to disasters in their areas.

The manual assist LGUs in the formulation of disaster preparedness plans.

A checklist is also provided to LGUs from the time a typhoon poses a looming threat in the horizon, to the time it arrives in the locality, to ensure that they are taking the correct steps in responding to the typhoon and its aftermath. (PIA-NCR)