In order to avoid further loss of life with the coming of super typhoon, Pepeng, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, chair of the National Development Coordinating Council (NDCC), ordered local government units (LGUs), particularly the barangay officials, to effect “pre-emptive” evacuation of their constituents to prevent a repeat of devastation wrought by typhoon Ondoy last week.

Pre-emptive evacuation is a “judgment call of the LGUs,” Teodoro said in an early morning briefing Friday. Its implementation should be “balanced” and timing an essential component with the sick, elderly and infants first on the line.

“Alertness is high because of Ondoy,” said Teodoro. In 2003, NDCC has adopted a target policy of zero casualty, which he admitted is difficult to achieve considering the resources of the government.

This as the Office of the Civil Defense pegged Ondoy’s damage at P5 billion, broken down into P1.885 billion for infrastructure and P3.1 billion in agriculture while affecting 83,000 families, who are now in 526 evacuation centers.Death toll reached 340 - 293 casualties, five injured and 43 missing.

According to Teodoro, the first line of defense comes from the LGUs. Officials, specifically in the barangay level and municipalities should issue an early warning and effect pre-emptive evacuation, if necessary.

He stressed that government should not be blamed by those residents, who have been warned to leave their houses but refused to, if assistance and rescue would be late in coming. “It is not right to compromise the lives of others.”

Help will not come soonest for those who are stubborn because it will not only put on the line the lives of the rescuers but it “diverts” government resources “for relief operations,” he explained. 

“Rescue is dangerous, which could hamper relief operations. The enormous challenge for NDCC is how to sustain relief operations,” Teodoro pointed out.

The government will “sustain relief operations to address the urgent needs for food, clothing and sanitation for those affected communities or people living outside of the evacuation centers,” he assured.

Regions 1, 2, 3 and the Cordillera Autonomous Region have been identified to be in the path of Pepeng. Pre-emptive evacuation are already being undertaken in these areas.

Early Friday morning, pre-emptive evacuation is, likewise, being undertaken in Region 3, particularly in the provinces and municipalities surrounding Angat River.

The NDCC chair ascertained there is “sufficient supply of basic commodities.”

And to ensure linkages between the national government and the affected areas, Teodoro disclosed National Telecommunications Committee has committed to tap “radio groups” as a back-up should cell sites of telecommunications’ firms bog down at the height of typhoon Pepeng.