By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On Friday, the Camarines Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CamSur PDRRMC), headed by Governor Luigi Villafuerte, led the province’s preparation for Typhoon Pepito. As of 6:00 a.m. today, 40 evacuation teams have been deployed to high-risk areas of CamSur, including those fully submerged due to the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.
Composed of members from the Provincial Government’s Environment, Disaster Management, and Emergency Response Office, Sagip Kalikasan Task Force, Provincial Health Office, and Civil Service Unit, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Army 565 ECB, 93 DRC, 9th IB, 83RDIB, and FMAG Rescue Philippines Inc., the evacuation teams are augmenting and assisting the municipal DRRMOs to facilitate massive evacuation in Nabua, Bula, Buhi, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Lagonoy, Canaman, Minalabac, Milaor, Camaligan, Baao, Tinambac, Gainza, Calabanga, and Magarao. With the teams are 50 vehicular assets for the transport of evacuees.
As early as Wednesday (Nov. 13), CamSur PDRRMC has already identified and prepared alternative evacuation centers for the eight (8) municipalities that have been fully submerged by STS Kristine, including provincially-managed evacuation centers in the following sites:
- Central Bicol State University of Agriculture – Pili for evacuees from Camaligan, Canaman, and Gainza
- Governor Mariano Villafuerte Community College campuses for evacuees from Nabua and their respective immediate communities
- Agdangan Elementary and High School for evacuees from Bula
- San Agustin Elementary and High School for evacuees from Nabua
- Capitol Complex for the families of responders
To ensure swift, seamless, and uninterrupted communication before, during, and after the typhoon, the Provincial Government through the Information, Communication, Archiving, and Records Management Office also installed and activated Starlink satellites in all 35 municipalities and one city of CamSur. The Provincial Government has also prepositioned relief goods that contain basic necessities, particularly food items, which the affected families will need.
Gov. Villafuerte urges the public to heed and comply with the authorities’ call for mandatory evacuation. He also suspended classes in both public and private schools as well as work in Provincial Government Offices, except those performing duties and delivering services essential to emergency response, starting today.
Tomorrow, the Search, Rescue, and Retrieval teams of CamSur PDRRMC will be deployed in the following designated staging areas and command posts:
- Pamplona Operation Center for Pasacao, Libmanan, San Fernando, and District 1
- Capitol Complex for Milaor, Minalabac, Gainza, and District 3
- Philippine Army 902 Battalion for Sagñay, Tigaon, and San Jose
- Garchitorena Operation Center for Caramoan and Presentacion
- Brgy. San Agustin, Iriga City for Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, and Bato
- Brgy. Agdangan, Baao for Bula and Balatan
- Tinambac Operation Center for Siruma and Tinambac
According to the DOST PAGASA update as of 11:00 a.m., CamSur is under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1. (With report from Mela Lesmoras/PTV News)
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