BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) on Monday said the region remains under blue alert status amid continued heavy rainfall in various parts of the region.
“We are still in blue alert, this means all DRRM groups are on alert and standby to respond to emergencies,” Engr. Jose Ignacio Valera, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Cordillera assistant director, said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
Although Typhoon Bising has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the southwest monsoon (habagat) continues to bring persistent downpours, loosening soil and increasing the risk of landslides.
Several landslides have already been reported in the region, including in Acupan, Virac, Itogon, Benguet, where 73 families (168 individuals) have evacuated to a nearby school.
Thirteen other families have taken shelter with relatives.
A landslide incident claimed the lives of three individuals after their home collapsed.
Landslides and rockslides have also rendered several roads temporarily impassable, including parts of the Mountain Province-Kalinga Road, Governor Bado Dangwa Road, Legarda Road in Baguio City, Barlig-Paracelis Road, Lubuagan-Batong Buhay-Abra boundary, and Kennon Road.
Clearing operations have since made these roads one-way passable or fully open.
A flooding incident was also recorded in Barangay Irisan due to clogged drainage overwhelmed by heavy rainfall.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR) has prepositioned over 72,000 family food and non-food packs across its warehouses and local hubs to ensure swift relief operations.
“Our personnel are on standby 24/7. We continue to monitor conditions in all provinces to respond quickly to emergencies,” said DSWD-CAR Director Maria Aplaten.
Also on Monday, the DSWD-CAR signed a memorandum of agreement formalizing a partnership with the local police and the Cordillera Career Development College, committing to strengthened coordination and capacity building efforts in disaster response, legal education and the protection of vulnerable sectors. **Liza Agoot
