Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, vice chair for disaster preparedness of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, today lauded the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for their effective preemptive evacuation of residents in areas along the path of Severe Tropical Storm Nika.
In a press conference at Malacañang, Remulla highlighted the collaborative efforts of the OCD and other agencies, including the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of National Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the DILG. These organizations were tasked with executing a rapid response plan for three approaching storms: Nika, Ofel, and Pepito.
“We instructed all the governors and mayors to preemptively move people, and over 8,000 households were evacuated.”
“We took proactive steps because the storm was set to arrive Monday morning. Thank you to the DENR which identified the geohazard areas. We instructed all the governors and mayors to preemptively move people, and over 8,000 households were evacuated,” Remulla stated.
He noted that 50 to 60 percent of the homes belonging to the 8,000 families affected were completely destroyed by the rains and fallen trees. He emphasized that without the local officials’ insistence on proactive evacuation, there would have been significantly more casualties.
“The team worked really well. My hats off to the OCD, they did a great job.”
“The team worked really well. My hats off to the OCD, they did a great job,” Remulla added.
In response to reports regarding flooding in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Remulla clarified that the flooding was not caused by the release of water from dams but rather resulted from water runoff from the mountains, triggered by Nika.
