SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, ANTIQUE – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and their counterparts at the municipal level are on standby in case Tropical Storm Auring will traverse the province.
Antique PDRRMO officer Broderick Train said they are now prepositioning their personnel and assets in the towns of Barbaza and Libertad in the north of the province.
“Our local counterparts the municipal DRRMO and the barangay DRRMO are also now on standby level and ready to respond to eventualities,” he said in an interview Sunday.
Train said with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placing some portions of Iloilo and Capiz under Signal No. 1, they are advising the public to also be ready for possible adverse conditions in Antique, especially in the northern part.
“As of now, we are still experiencing cloudy to partly cloudy atmosphere but we have to be ready late this afternoon or in the evening,” he said.
Train added the PDRMMO has fully activated its 18 personnel who are now in Libertad, Barbaza and at the PDRRMO Operation Center in San Jose de Buenavista.
He said that so far, they have not yet conducted any preemptive evacuation among the families in landslide-prone areas or other susceptible places, but they are only informing them to be on alert.
“We are still sending information, education and communication (IEC) to the families just to be ready,” he said.
Train further said operation centers of Barangay DRRMOs have been activated for the next 24 hours.
Barangay DRRMOs are expected to be the first responders in case there will be families to be evacuated Sunday night or the next day, he added. (PNA)