TACLOBAN CITY — Two composite teams deployed by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) to Eastern Samar and Northern Samar last week have returned after assisting in preparedness and response efforts for Typhoons ‘Ofel’ and ‘Pepito.’
RDRRMC chairman and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) – 8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, who led the teams’ send-off ceremony at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office, emphasized that while the region was not in the direct path of the typhoons, their tail-end brought heavy rains, particularly affecting northern areas of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
“Our primary concern was monitoring rain bands that could trigger flooding, especially in already saturated areas due to previous storms,” Torrecarion explained.
Each team, composed of eight members from various agencies including OCD, DILG, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army, and Philippine National Police, was assigned to Oras in Eastern Samar and Catarman in Northern Samar. The strategic deployment was intended to ensure timely support and effective coordination with flood-prone municipalities.
“Their placement allowed for quick response without risking exposure to immediate danger,” Torrecarion noted.
The teams were tasked with supporting local government units (LGUs), providing situational updates, and relaying critical information to regional and national authorities to facilitate effective response and support.
DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe highlighted the government’s commitment to disaster resilience through inter-agency collaboration. “This effort shows that people are ready to face risks to ensure assistance reaches those affected during disasters,” Agabe said.
For the first time, DSWD-8 deployed a mobile communication vehicle, enhancing on-ground communication and coordination. “From our experience during the recent shear line incident in Northern Samar, we learned that having personnel on the ground improves our response efficiency,” DSWD Regional Director Grace Subong shared.
The DSWD also prepositioned over 84,700 family food packs and non-food items across the region’s six provinces. In Northern Samar, about 16,000 packs were initially deployed, with plans to increase this to 46,962 by month’s end. In Eastern Samar, 16,596 packs have been distributed, with a target of over 30,000.
The composite teams, deployed on November 14, successfully completed their missions and returned to their units on Sunday, November 16.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
