LEGAZPI CITY - The Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) will place its operations center under "blue alert" status as part of the preparation measures for the activities and events of the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City. In a memorandum issued on Tuesday by Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director and RDRRMC chair Claudio Yucot, he said the status implementation will start on Sept. 12 and will be in effect until the 23rd of the month. "Response agencies and their available resources should be on alert status and be prepared for possible deployment if the situation requires additional response teams," Yucot said. Under the blue alert, all response agencies shall place their respective operations center on 24/7 operation and closely monitor the possible eventualities. Yucot said monitoring the situation and submitting regular reports to the RDRRMM Operations Center throughout the celebration is necessary to avoid incidents or for authorities to respond immediately in case of any need. He also advised the local government units of Naga City and Camarines Sur to ensure available technical staff and response personnel and the accessibility of communication equipment, including hotline numbers and e-mail addresses. Earlier, the Police Regional Office-Bicol (PRO5) and other uniformed government agencies sent off over 5,000 security forces to ensure the safety and orderliness of the events. Over 1.5 million devotees, pilgrims, and tourists are expected to participate in various activities for the 100th-year celebration of the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City from Sept. 12 to 22. Source: Philippines News agency