DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office gets ready for the monsoon waves by meeting the residents of the coastal communities.
“We conducted a pulong-pulong because the monsoon wave or the hanging habagat is coming,” CDRRMO Officer-In-Charge Alfredo D. Baloran said in an interview.
The CDRRMO personnel conducted “pulong-pulong” with the coastal communities of Barangay 22-C, 23-C and 76-A Bucana.
Baloran said they are eyeing conducting the same meeting in the coastal communities in the second Congressional District such as Bunawan District, Tibungco District, and others in the following week.
“We are anticipating the monsoon waves in August, September, and October. In fact, as of now, we can note that are waves in the coastal areas are larger,” Baloran said.
Monsoon waves, according to Baloran, is characterized by larger waves due to the southwest monsoon or the hanging habagat.
The pulong-pulong aims to emphasize the importance of disaster preparedness, the possible risk of monsoon waves or “hanging habagat” and other hazards brought by weather disturbances that directly affecting the community.
“We have seen that there are informal settler families near the coasts. Usually, their houses are built with just the sand as the foundation. Once those houses get hit with large, strong waves, the tendency is they will be destroyed,” Baloran said.
“If families are inside those homes especially during night time, they may be really put in danger,” he added.
Baloran said he personally went around the barangays and gathered the families settled near the coasts.
“We advised them that stronger waves are coming and we also told the volunteers and the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils to teach the residents that in case the strong waves will happen, they must know where to go. We have evacuation centers available for them,” he said.
“I am glad that the residents are amenable during our talk. I told them we were not there to disturb them, but rather to save them from the dangers of the monsoon waves. They were very willing. I told them that once the warning signal sounds, they must immediately evacuate,” Baloran added. (davaotoday.com)
