Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City
September 13, 2018

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte instructed all government agencies to make all risk reduction measures and preparations in full swing as Super Typhoon ‘Ompong’ threatens the country.

In a command conference at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) office inside Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City, the President was informed of the latest initiatives of the government’s disaster response team in order to aid Filipinos, mostly in the northern part of Luzon, who will be affected by the super typhoon.

Currently, repacking of relief goods are ongoing and regional quick response teams and health emergency response teams are on standby for immediate deployment. The NDRRMC said that all Filipinos should be on alert and prepare for strong winds, heavy rains, and possible storm surge. As precaution, the NDRRMC said that those who would be affected should relocate to evacuation areas before the storm hits.

To ensure that the people would feel the presence of the government, President Duterte sent several members of his Cabinet to oversee the effects and preparations in the affected areas.

“Sabi nila, I would need a face there. But I cannot be everywhere and anywhere. So total, taga doon naman, I told them to go there. I have dispatched everybody there including the Cabinet members who come from the provinces where it is expected to hit,” he said.

Typhoon Ompong, with international name ‘Mangkhut’, sustained winds of up to 205 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness reaching 225 kph. It is projected to make landfall in northern Cagayan province or in Batanes, and is expected to bring heavy rains in most parts of Luzon.

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