BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) has been placed under “blue alert” ahead of the long weekend as part of the observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ days.
PDMPD head, Dr. Zeaphard Caelian, said all the local disaster risk reduction and management offices (DRRMO) in the province were directed by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to go on a high alert and to intensify road safety measures.
Local DRRMOs’ responders were also told to be prepared for deployment to different areas of convergence, especially in the cemeteries.
DRRMOs were also told to submit to the Negros Occidental Command Center their preparedness measures, respective response and action plans to untoward incidents they monitored beginning Tuesday, Oct. 25, to Nov. 2.
Despite the facemask protocols being lifted in outdoor settings and possibly soon even indoors following Malacañang’s announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Caelian still highly recommends that the public wear facemasks especially in crowded areas, pointing out that COVID-19 is still very much present.
“Ang road safety, ang aton COVID-19, and balantayan man ang incidents of fire, kay every November 1, gasaka man ang number sang mga [fire incidents],” Caelian added./PN
