PRO-7 readies support force in preparation for TS Odette

Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, PRO-7 director

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 231 Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) will be deployed to provinces in Central Visayas that will be affected by the Several Tropical Storm Odette.

Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7) director Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, in a press release, stated that apart from these 231 standby support forces from the regional headquarters, Search and Rescue Teams of all respective police units in the region are also ready to provide assistance in their respective areas of jurisdiction when the storm reaches the region.

According to the latest weather bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Rai, Odette when it enters the Philippines, is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening.

“As part of the security, safety, and response preparations, I directed all commanders to coordinate and assist affected Local Government Units and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils in the provinces to render possible forced preventive evacuation in high-risk areas. Challenging time like this, we need to unify our efforts with other law enforcement agencies to attain zero casualties if a typhoon hits the Visayas region,” Vega stated in his press release.

These RSSF personnel will be the augmentation should police and local government units need assistance during the disaster response.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office director, Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, inspected his personnel and the Search and Rescue Equipment on Tuesday as preparation for TS Odette.

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