DILG urges LGU to brace for Habagat

Local government units (LGUs) should prepare ahead for the possible impacts of the Southwest Monsoon(Habagat), following the state weather bureau’s recent declaration of its onset, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Tuesday. 

The DILG said that under the memorandum circular, LGUs should take proactive measures against potential hydrometeorological hazards, such as flooding and landslides.  

It added that these efforts should be anchored on the DILG’s Operation L!sto program, the agency’s flagship disaster preparedness initiative.  

“LGUs are instructed to ensure the functionality of Emergency Operations Centers with adequate personnel and equipment, and to activate Local Incident Management Teams trained in the Incident Command System,” the DILG said.  

The DILG also instructed LGUs to identify and prepare structurally sound evacuation centers equipped with essential facilities such as sanitation, medical aid, and designated areas for vulnerable groups. 

Revisions of contingency plans are also advised based on recent local hazard assessments, along with conducting drills to test evacuation procedures. 

The interior department also reiterated the strict implementation of no-build zones in high-risk areas and emphasized the continuity of emergency services during severe weather conditions.  

Last week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the onset of the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat.  

This was followed by a separate statement on Monday announcing the start of the rainy season, after five days of scattered to widespread rain brought by the Southwest Monsoon. 

Areas along the western section of the country are likely to be affected by the onset of the rainy season, Ana Liza S. Solis, PAGASA’s Assistant Weather Services Chief and Chief of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, told BusinessWorld. 

She added that precautionary measures should be taken by the public and local governments to prepare for the potential impacts of the rainy season, the Southwest Monsoon, and other weather events. – Edg Adrian A. Eva