Typhoon Ruby

Sen. Bam Eyes Best Practices to Prepare for Calamities, Disasters

With the improved performance of government, private sector and non-government organizations in preparation for super typhoon Ruby, a lawmaker wants to institutionalize best practices and effective tools to ensure readiness for future calamities and disasters.

“We should be learning not only from our mistakes but also from a job well done. We must do it by institutionalizing the best practices and tools implemented by government, LGUs and private sector to prepare for future disasters,” Aquino said.

A lawmaker is calling for an inquiry to assess the impact of government’s action to determine best practices and effective tools used in mitigating the effects of super typhoon Ruby to ensure readiness for future calamities and disasters.

In his Senate Resolution 1063, Senator Bam Aquino stressed the need to assess the impact of government’s actions to determine best practices and effective tools used in the disaster risk and reduction programs of local government units (LGUs).

“The country’s experience with typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) has become key opportunities for learning and for improving disaster preparedness coordination, strategies and practices,” Aquino explained.

“Despite the Filipinos’ vulnerability to typhoons, these experiences demonstrate how the government together with the private sector and the communities stricken by calamities can effectively prepare for and mitigate the adverse effects of disasters,” the senator added.

The inquiry will look into the enhanced inter-agency coordination mechanisms of the national government and the pro-active response of LGUs and private sector on disaster preparedness and mitigation in the country.

“The national government should also be able to identify the appropriate and useful strategies for inter-agency coordination in building community awareness, disaster preparedness planning, and ensuring quick response to help ensure readiness of communities for future disasters,” he added.

Aquino noted that proper coordination among national government agencies, LGUs and private sector contributed to the notable decrease in the number of casualties and loss of property compared to last year’s typhoon Yolanda.

As of latest count, Typhoon Ruby claimed 19 lives and damaged more than P3 billion worth of properties. Typhoon Yolanda, for its part, killed 6,092 people and damaged P36.62 billion worth of properties.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNIDSDR) was impressed with the Philippines’ preparations for typhoon Ruby, which involved the pre-emptive evacuation of at least one million Filipinos in the typhoon’s path.

In addition, the ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh commended the country “for its early warning efforts and disaster preparedness plans, which mitigated losses and damages.”

Help Save Lives thru Social Media – Sen. Bam

As Metro Manila anticipates the strong landfall of Typhoon Ruby tonight, Senator Bam Aquino encourages netizens to use social media in mitigating disasters such as typhoons and other occurrences where many lives are at stake.

 

 

“Let us use social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to aid in the efforts of rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts during calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes and armed conflicts,” said Aquino.

 

 

“We can harness the vast power of social media and the Internet to help save lives of fellow Filipinos who are in danger during calamities and other incidents,” the senator emphasized.

 

 

Aquino said netizens play a big role during calamities as they can help disseminate relevant news to others though social media, using the right hashtags to get the messages across.

 

 

“Let us share relevant information to our social media circles – storm signal warnings, emergency tips, monitoring of rescue operations, and call for volunteers for relief operations,” Aquino added.

 

 

“With the advanced technology that we have such as Internet-capable smartphones and cameras, we can play a big part in saving lives during these challenging times for our people,” the senator stressed.

 

 

Aquino also urges netizens to follow important agencies like Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine National Police, NDRRMC, PAGASA/DOST and news agencies on Twitter and Facebook for important updates during calamities.

 

 

Earlier, Aquino encouraged netizens to be more actively involved in the government’s campaign against illegal activities, saying social media has a key role in preventing and solving crimes.

 

 

“We can use the Internet in meaningful activities like helping the government in its quest to lessen, if not completely eradicate, crimes in our society,” the senator said.

 

 

Aquino said the arrest of policemen involved in the daring daytime robbery along EDSA would not have been possible if not for the brave netizen who posted the photo online.

 

 

Social media has been a good source of worthy causes, such as the finding of missing persons, reporting of unlawful incidents, lauding local heroism, and fund raising and volunteer recruitment for socio-civic projects.

Ensure Supply of Food, Medicine, Goods in Areas Threatened by Hagupit – Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino calls on concerned government agencies to ensure adequate supply of food, medicine and other goods in areas that will be directly affected by Typhoon Ruby (international name Hagupit).

“We need to ensure that there’s enough supply of food, medicine and  other important basic goods in areas that will be hit by the super typhoon,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aside from ensuring enough supply, Aquino called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local government units to strictly monitor prices of goods as some businesses may take advantage of the situation.

“Ensuring supply and prices of food and other basic goods will prevent unscrupulous traders from taking advantage of the situation after the storm,” added Aquino.

In addition, Aquino urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to prepare contingency measures to ensure that important routes are passable after the storm.

“We need to ensure that roads and bridges are passable so that the flow of basic goods to areas hit by the typhoon will not be hampered,” said Aquino.

In most cases, the senator said prices of basic products in areas devastated by typhoons and other calamities increase because of supply problems.

“People need to get back on their feet quickly and businesses need to open so that goods will be available to those affected by the typhoon,” added Aquino.

According to PAGASA, Typhoon Hagupit may make landfall over Samar Saturday morning.

PAGASA said Ruby is packing maximum winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kilometer per hour.

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