Alert level downgrades to normal in Surigao Sur, assistance to quake victims continues
HINATUAN, Surigao del Sur -- The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council - Emergency Operations Center (MDRRMC - EOC) in the municipalities of Hinatuan and Cagwait, all in Surigao del Sur, downgraded the alert status to white alert level or normal monitoring and operations.
However, clusters entrusted with crucial services such as relief, logistics, health, land law and order are either sustaining their vital functions or on stand-by or on-call mode in case of any emergency.
It can be recalled that the province was placed on blue alert status by the EOC in relation to the magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Hinatuan town on December 2 followed by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on December 4 in Cagwait due to the movement of the Philippine trench.
Both local government units worked with partner agencies and organizations to provide a coordinated response to aid those affected by the recent offshore earthquakes in Surigao del Sur.
Hinatuan Municipal Tourism Office chief and Information Officer designate Gemma S. Millan shared that, “As of December 11, a total of 13,466 family food packs (FFPs) were distributed to the affected families. The distribution of relief items continues to ensure continuous and immediate response.”
“The LGU - Hinatuan headed by Mayor Shem Garay, with the support of Vice Mayor Tito Canedo III and the Sangguniang Bayan members, ensured to coordination with more agencies, organizations, and individuals to help in responding to the needs of the victims, especially displaced families whose houses were totally damaged, until they can settle down and start to live normally,” Millan said.
In Cagwait, Municipal DRRM Office chief Nerissa Plaza disclosed that the LGU received an initial 1,162 family food packs (FFPs) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), while 20 family packs, 100 trapals (sakoline), hygiene kits, and shelter repair kits from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga were provided to the residents whose houses were totally destroyed by the quake and the subsequent aftershocks.
The Department of Health (DOH) Caraga, Sibog Katawhan Alang Sa Paglambo (SIKAP), Inc. and Mental Health Psychological Support Services (MHPSS) team of the LGU extended some goodies and conducted stress debriefing with the children.
Both LGUs appealed to all the donors to directly coordinate with the Logistics Cluster at the Municipal DRRM Office, which is the drop-off point for in-kind donations for the earthquake victims.
In DRRM, a blue alert status requires 50% attendance of personnel of the DRRMO and their equipment are placed on standby while emergency preparations are carried out according to plan as reflected in the Incident Management System. With the downgrade of the alert status, the EOC team demobilization has been declared, while the entire province of Surigao del Sur is still under the state of calamity. (NGPB/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
