Manila: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday directed concerned local government units (LGUs) to ensure that all communities in the path of Tropical Depression Ada are secured and safe from its effects. The LGUs were instructed to convene their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) and conduct Pre-Disaster Risk Assessments (PDRA) to ensure timely and data-driven decisions, the DILG said in a statement.
According to Philippines News Agency, the LGUs were directed to immediately identify and prioritize communities in flood- and landslide-prone areas for possible preemptive or mandatory evacuation. The DILG also reminded LGUs to ensure that Emergency Operations Centers and Incident Management Teams are fully operational and ready for immediate activation. "Evacuation centers, medical facilities, and other critical emergency installations must be adequately prepared and stocked with essential supplies, including food, potable water, sanitation facilities, and medical provisions," the DILG said.
The agency emphasized the need for continuous monitoring of official weather bulletins and advisories, and for the prompt implementation of appropriate mitigation and preparedness actions to reduce risk and protect lives. Village heads are urged to activate barangay-level preparedness protocols and to carry out critical preparedness measures in close coordination with their respective City or Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has committed to assisting in the preemptive evacuation of residents who may be affected by Ada. In a separate statement, the PNP reported that a sufficient number of personnel have been deployed in areas where Ada is expected to pass, including Albay, where residents are concerned about possible lahar flows amid the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano. "I have already ordered the deployment of a sufficient number of our personnel to assist in preemptive evacuation, especially in areas near the Mayon Volcano to protect the residents from possible lahar flow," acting PNP chief Lt Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
According to the latest weather advisory, Ada is forecast to move west-northwest to northward over the next three days and may pass close to or make landfall early Friday morning. The weather system is also expected to intensify into a tropical storm within the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Eastern Visayas has raised a Blue Alert Status in preparation for the possible effects of TD Ada.
In Memorandum No. 01-008, Series of 2026, dated January 14 and shared to the public on Thursday, RDRRMC Chairperson Rey Gozon directed the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center to be on Blue Alert. Blue alert is raised "primarily in preparation for a slow-onset disaster or in anticipation of situation escalation, requiring selected duty personnel." Under the memorandum, all RDRRMC member-agencies and local disaster risk reduction and management councils were instructed to continuously monitor conditions in their respective areas and implement preparedness measures, Gozon stated. These include the regular submission of projected needs and situational reports to the RDRRMOC every 12 hours for consolidation and onward submission to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
