CABARROGUIS, Quirino (PIA) - - The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Council (PDRRMC) yesterday held its Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting presided by Acting Governor and Chairperson Julius Caesar Vaquilar to prepare for the possible effects of Typhoon Mawar.

During the PDRA meeting, all the PDRRMC members reported their preparedness measures on relief operations, availability of evacuation search and rescue equipment, medicines, hygiene kits and others.

The PSWDO is also waiting for the relief goods that will be given by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The PSWDO also reported that the regional evacuation center located at Brgy. Zamora, Cabarroguis is ready to accommodate evacuees.

Meanwhile, the National Food Authority (NFA) reported that the province has a rice buffer stock of 6,155 bags and a palay stock of 4,574 bags that will last around seven days. The NFA said that they are ready to augment rice in case the provincial government will request them to.

Meanwhile, the DepEd SDO directed all schools to activate their DRRM team and to closely monitor and coordinate with their Local DRRM Councils to ensure the safety of the learners and their personnel including school infrastructure and non-infrastructure.

The DepEd also reiterated their preparedness and response measures thru the Deped Order No. 33 series of 2021 or the School-Based Disaster Response and Preparedness Measures for Typhoon, Flood, and other Weather-Related Disturbances and Calamities; and Deped Order No. 37 series of 2022 or the Guidelines on the Cancellation and Suspension of Classes and Work in Schools in the Event of Disasters and other Natural Calamities.

Personnel from the Provincial Engineering Office created four teams to be deployed in the municipalities of Maddela (1 team), Aglipay and Saguday (1 team), Cabarroguis and Diffun (1 team), and Nagtipunan (1 team).

The team is equipped with 31 heavy equipment composed of 18 dump trucks, 3 bulldozers, 5 grader trucks, 2 backhoes, and 3 loader trucks ready to be utilized in case of clearing operations.

On the health sector, the Provincial Health Office reported that they are ready to activate their Emergency Operation Center (EOC) and Health Emergency Response Teams if the situation in the province worsens.

Due to increasing covid-19 cases in the province, the HERTs will also be deployed to evacuation centers to conduct screening and triaging if there are any evacuees.

On the other hand, Provincial Administrator Carmelita Jimenez addressed the shortage of Health Emergency Commodities (HECs) of the PHO by acting immediayely on their request regarding the replenishment of the said commodities.

Other council members from the national government agencies, provincial offices, and LDRRMOs are also set to deploy their resources and DRRM response teams in case of calamity.

In his message, Acting Governor and Chairperson Vaquilar expressed his hope that the province will be safe from the wrath of typhoon Mawar and disaster councils will not be able to utilize their preparation. (TCB/PIA Quirino)