The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) today assured the public that the entire national government is on full alert (“red alert”) and actively mobilized to provide aid and resources to communities affected by Severe Tropical Storm Opong and those still recovering from Super Typhoon Nando.
The mobilization comes from a direct directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., ensuring that all national government agencies are fully engaged in the response and recovery efforts.
Office of Civil Defense Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Secretary Rafaelito Alejandro IV confirmed the heightened status during a press briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in Camp Aguinaldo.
“Rest assured that we are in full force,” Assistant Secretary Alejandro stated. “Following the instruction of President Marcos Jr., 100% of national government agencies are on full alert to assist, mobilize, and augment resources in areas impacted by the storms, especially with Opong currently ongoing.”
Response efforts are dual-focused: addressing the immediate impact of Tropical Storm Opong while also sustaining early recovery and augmentation operations in Northern Luzon communities previously hit by Super Typhoon Nando.
Assistant Secretary Alejandro highlighted the significant resources deployed and on standby, ensuring continuous support for local government units (LGUs):
Personnel & Augmentation: Approximately 52,000 personnel are on standby, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice to augment LGU efforts. Additionally, nearly 1,000 personnel have already been deployed for operations related to the aftermath of Typhoon Nando.
Logistics & Search and Rescue: The logistics cluster is prepared with adequate aircraft on standby, and the Search and Rescue/Retrieval clusters are fully activated.
Health Services: The Health Cluster is ready with sufficient medical supplies to address the needs of affected communities.
Food & Financial Reserves: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) maintains a robust stockpile of food and non-food items. The government has an estimated ₱3 billion worth of standby funds available for immediate use.
Communications: The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and other agencies have prepared approximately 833 teams and equipment to restore and maintain essential telecommunication services.
Evacuation Centers: The Camp Coordination and Camp Management cluster is active and currently servicing approximately 389 evacuation centers nationwide.
Assistant Secretary Alejandro concluded by assuring the public of the government’s unwavering commitment. “We are still in the middle of our response operation, but the full NDRRMC is in constant communication, coordination, and performing necessary operations to assist all those affected.”
