YOLANDA TRACK. Although not as strong as supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan), storm Ruby (International name Hagupit), has a similar track as the world strongest typhoon to hit land in recorded history. (Source: Pagasa)
Camotes Island – While some residents dread the the coming of a “Yolanda-like’ storm this weekend, town officials said they have learned their lesson and are preparing early.
Anito Nodalo of South Poblacion said his purok (sub-village)started preparations two days ago.
However, the 45-year-old barangay tanod said he still hopes that the typhoon will veer from the country and make landfall somewhere else.
“As early as now, we’ve already been told to prepare. I can say that we’re more prepared now as compared to when Yolanda struck but still, we keep praying that it does not come,” he said in Cebuano.
“The memories from Yolanda are still fresh. Some are still trying to get back on their feet,” he added.
Officials of the four municipalities in Camotes Grous of Island (San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilar) convened their disaster risk reduction and management councils as early as Tuesday.
“Storms are no joke. We’ve already tasted the wrath of Yolanda and now we have the opportunity to correct our mistakes based on our past experiences,” Tudela Mayor Erwin Yu told Cebu Daily News.
Yu said they will evaluate whether a forced evacuation shall be implemented depending on the strength of the typhoon when it makes landfall.
“We will make sure that our evacuation centers can withstand the storm or at least be more durable than other structures. Just like what happened in Yolanda, they evacuated the people and then the structure was the first to be damaged and people were trapped,” he said.
Tudela and its neighboring town of San Francisco both had zero casualties during Yolanda.
San Francisco Mayor Aly Arquillano said they have a well-established purok system so people already know what to do in times like this.
“Just like what we happened in Yolanda. We are preparing very hard for this,” said Arquillano, referring to the evacuation of people from Tulang Diyot islet which resulted in a zero casualty of its 1,000 inhabitants.
In Poro town, Mayor Luciano Rama said he already met with municipal disaster officials.
“We will prepare the heavy equipment, load up on the fuel of the vehicles and tell the people. They are on standby,” he said. Rama said they still have enough food supplies if ever pre-emptive evacuation is needed.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III yesterday led Capitol officials in visiting the towns of Poro and San Francisco where they distributed cash incentives to barangay workers.
To avoid risking the safety of student participants, Davide in an interview said the Capitol and the Department of Education decided to move the annual provincial sports meet next year instead of holding it on December 5.
During the program of the cash turnover in Poro town, Cebu 5th District Board Members’ Miguel Magpale and Jude Durano-Sybico reminded barangay workers to stay vigilant.
Magpale said the barangay workers, which include health workers and tanods, should apply their DRR training, especially since they are “frontliners” in responding to calamity situations.
Officials also attended the groundbreaking of the construction of Tudela’s P20-million civic center and the establishment of a province-funded farm-to-market road in baragnay . Villahermosa in the town.