Bicol Disaster Council on ‘Blue Alert’ for Effects of TD ‘Crising’

Bicol: The Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) has placed its emergency operations center under a "blue alert" status in anticipation of the potential effects of Tropical Depression "Crising". Claudio Yucot, RDRRMC chairperson and regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, emphasized that under this alert status, response agencies as well as provincial, city, and municipal DRRM councils are required to closely monitor the weather disturbance's impacts and activate their emergency operations centers around the clock.

According to Philippines News Agency, Yucot instructed that any incidents related to the weather disturbance should be reported to the RDRRMC EOC through a signed situational report. He also mentioned that response teams must remain on standby for potential deployment as the situation develops.

Yucot further advised that all Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) should work with the Philippine Coast Guard to implement a localized "no sailing policy" for the fishing sector once a gale warning advisory is issued by the weather bureau. This precaution aims to ensure the safety of those at sea amid the approaching tropical depression.

In preparation for the possible impacts of "Crising", the RDRRMC has pre-activated several government clusters. These include those responsible for health, food and non-food items, protection, camp coordination and management, emergency telecommunications, law and order, logistics, search, rescue, and retrieval, as well as debris clearing and the management of the deceased and missing persons.