The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Nueva Valencia in Guimaras on Thursday (September 13, 2018) uses boats to evacuate 45 households from Unisan Island to the mainland of Brgy. Guiwanon as a precautionary measure for typhoon Ompong. (Photo by LDRRM Officer Loren Gallarda)
ILOILO CITY -- A total of 45 households, composed of 156 individuals from Sitio Unisan of Barangay Guiwanon, are now staying in an evacuation center following a preemptive evacuation undertaken by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) of the municipality of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
LDRRM officer Loren Gallarda, in an interview Friday, said they began the evacuation on Wednesday.
The evacuees are now staying at the Cabalagnan Elementary School Evacuation Center in Barangay Cabalagnan, a mainland village of the municipality.
“They are the ones who are vulnerable to wind and sea waves,” he said, adding that those evacuated were children, women and senior citizens.
The men were left behind to take care of their belongings on the island. “They were just told to be ready,” he added.
Sitio Unisan is an island sitio of Guiwanon, which is also an island barangay of Nueva Valencia.
He said that 17 of the 22 villages of Nueva Valencia are situated in coastal areas.
However, there was no preemptive evacuation conducted in other coastal barangays.
“We have no typhoon signal. What we have here are rains. All other coastal barangays are informed and advised to just prepare,” he said.
He also assured that those staying in evacuation centers are provided with necessary provisions by the local government unit, volunteer organizations and other donors.
The province of Guimaras has been experiencing moderately strong winds with occasional light rain showers and moderately rough coastal waters.
As part of their precautionary measures, the municipalities of Nueva Valencia and Jordan also suspended classes in all levels in both private and public schools.
Moreover, motor bancas serving the Iloilo-Guimaras and vice-versa route will only be sailing until 6 p.m.
However, the trips “will be cancelled anytime when sea travel is dangerous as per discretion of the Philippine Coast Guard,” according to an advisory from the provincial government.
The provincial government through its disaster risk reduction and management council (DRRMC) also alerted all municipal and barangay DRRMCs.
Response teams have been alerted while relief goods have been readied. (PNA)
