PDCC braces for Entry of Typhoons

PDCC braces for Entry of Typhoons

Lingayen - - The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) together with its attached agencies held an emergency meeting to discuss the operational readiness and response capabilities to any calamity that may occur in the province.

Paterno Orduña, PDCC Executive Officer, said the meeting was called upon the request of Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., PDCC Chairman, after an official announcement from PAGASA that indicates the possible entry of three tropical cyclones into the Philippine area of responsibility within the month.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the 16 municipalities of Pangasinan considered as critical areas to encourage the mayors to activate their respective Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils when calamity strikes.

The governor ordered the PDCC and its attached agencies to submit an inventory of their assets, manpower resources and their equipments, and to prepare 10,000 relief packs ready for disposal.

“Ito ang gustong malaman ng ating gobernador yung ating kapabilidad at kung gaano tayo ka-prepare sa mga darating na kalamidad sa ating lalawigan,” Orduña added.

The meeting highlighted the disaster preparedness and mitigation activities of the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Espino to promote environmental advocacies thru various environmental projects as long-term mitigation measures against the occurrence of disasters.

“Gusto tayong i-brief sa environmental advocacy ni gobernador upang maiwasan natin ang mga disasters,kung hindi man natin maprevent ito, at least may mitigation measures tayo that will help everybody.”

Among these measures are the mangrove tree planting activities along coastal/riverbank areas, coastal clean-up of the Lingayen Gulf, tree planting activities in denuded mountainous areas, massive clean-up and dredging of river systems and environmental awareness campaigns to raise environmental consciousness among the people particularly the youths/students.

Orduña bared that there are 340 evacuation units strategically located throughout the province. (PIO/Darwin Magalong)