The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday commended the 282 local chief executives (LCEs) from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley, who promptly responded and implemented urgent measures to ensure the safety of their constituents.
In a statement, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said this resulted in zero casualties and 182 individuals from Tuesday’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake.
He said the LCEs’ presence and quick action in the recent quake spell the difference in the government’s response efforts, particularly in areas closer to the epicenter.
“We thank the 282 LCEs from CAR, Regions 1 and 2 for manning their areas of jurisdictions during this recent earthquake in Abra. Your urgent actions made all the difference in saving people’s lives. Hindi natin alam kung kailan magkakalindol (We cannot predict when earthquakes will strike) but your leadership has really carried us through,” Abalos said.
Based on the data gathered by the DILG field offices, Abalos said 74 of 77 LCEs in CAR were manning their posts and were on top of the earthquake response efforts while 125 of 128 LCEs from Ilocos Region and 85 out of 93 from Cagayan Valley were likewise reported to be pressed at work during and after the earthquake.
He said the LCEs led evacuation efforts in affected communities; provision of relief goods to the internally displaced persons (IDPs); ongoing conduct of rapid damage assessment and needs analysis within their respective areas of responsibility; and deployed all heavy equipment and rescue equipment/resources in strategic areas.
They likewise convened their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) and have conducted Emergency Response Meetings; and activated all concerned Barangay DRRMCs for close coordination, prepositioned necessary supplies, and prepared evacuation centers.
The Oct. 25 tremor came just nearly three months after Abra was hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, which rendered 498 houses totally damaged and 26,350 houses partially damaged.
Abalos said 52 families or 182 individuals were evacuated in CAR with reports of 442 partially damaged houses and 14 totally damaged houses and one impassable road.
“Our LCEs are continuously working the rounds to evaluate and extend the needed assistance especially in hardly hit areas. Patuloy din po ang mga hakbangin ng pamahalaan sa pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan sa Norte (The government also continues to aid our fellow Filipinos in the north,” he said.
Abalos lauded LCEs who were visible on the ground to attend to the needs of their people and respond to the urgent assistance efforts within their jurisdiction in the wake of the said earthquake.
He said among these LCEs was Balbalan, Kalinga Mayor Almar Malannag who personally visited the senior citizens who were housed at the Balbalan Hostel and transferred them to the municipal building for their safety as the building is checked for integrity.
Vintar Mayor Richard A. Degala and Solsona Mayor Joseph A. De Lara, both from Ilocos Norte, personally conducted inspections and assessments of damages within their jurisdictions while Rosales, Pangasinan Mayor William S. Cezar, and Cabugao, Ilocos Mayor Josh Cobangbang urgently gathered their municipal DRRMC for an emergency meeting to mobilize response efforts. (PNA)