MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, November 8, highlighted the importance of preemptive evacuation in mitigating the effects of disasters, urging local officials to find ways to convince their constituents.

“Preemptive evacuation is always a good idea. Basta maitabi mo ‘yung tao, take them out of the area of danger, then you’re way ahead,” the President said in a situation briefing with selected regional line agency directors and local chief executives of Antique.

“Mahirap talaga mag-evacuation ng tao. That’s really a problem. But you have to do it kahit na magalit na nang konti sa’yo. Basta you have to do it. Kasi if they are drowning, flash flood, landslide, kung wala sila doon, hindi sila natangay,” he added.

The chief executive likewise noted that residents refusing to evacuate cannot be blamed because they worry about the properties or livelihood they are leaving behind.

“Everywhere ka pumunta problema ang evacuation. Ayaw nilang iwanan ‘yung bahay nila eh. Siyempre you cannot blame them eh… ‘Yung mga bahay nila, ayaw nilang iwanan. Baka kahit na hindi madaanan ng tubig, eh pagbalik nila wala ng laman ‘yun ‘di ba,” Marcos said.

“But you have to find a way to convince them, to bring them to the evacuation center,” he added.

During the briefing, Marcos discussed procedures that will mitigate the effects of disasters, including preemptive evacuation and forward placement of relief goods and water supply.

“We just stay with that procedure and that procedure will at least mitigate the effects of any disaster,” he said.

“So those are the effective things… I wanted to point it out that that’s a very important part of preparing for a typhoon is mag-evacuate nang mabuti,” the President said.

During the situation briefing, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region VI Assistant Regional Director Maria Calpiza Sardua reported that the causes of death in Antique based on the reports of the police are drowning, swept by strong current, flash flood, landslide, hypothermia, cardiac arrest, difficulty in breathing and electrocution.

In Western Visayas, Sardua said there are a total of 42 casualties or the combined number of dead and missing individuals. (PND)