Government officials have initiated preemptive evacuation measures for residents in Northern Luzon areas expected to be affected by Typhoon Betty.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has reported that residents in high-risk areas, particularly in the towns of Sta. Ana and Gonzaga in Cagayan, have already started evacuating to safer locations.
According to Director Edgar Allan Tabell of the DILG, the evacuation process began on Saturday in anticipation of the typhoon's impact.
Tabell emphasized the importance of heeding the forecasts of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and following the instructions of local government officials.
“Sa ngayon, itong araw na ito inaasahan natin sa Cagayan, especially iyong lugar ng Sta. Ana at Gonzaga, iyong mga lugar na iyon at probably today mag-start na silang i-evacuate iyong mga tao doon,” Tabell said.
In addition to Northern Luzon, preemptive evacuations have also been carried out in Negros Occidental, Palawan, and Pampanga due to heavy rainfall caused by the southwest monsoon, not directly related to Typhoon Betty.
Diego Mariano, Information Officer of the Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (OCD-NDRRMC), confirmed the evacuation efforts in these areas.
“To add to that, mayroon ng nag-e-evacuate sa ngayon, Negros Occidental at Palawan and ilan sa Pampanga. So, ito ay dulot naman ng malakas na pag-ulan dahil sa hanging habagat naman, so not directly ng bagyong Betty. So iyon nga mayroon na nga pong nagsisimulang mag-preemptive evacuation,” he noted.
The DILG official stressed the need for vigilance among residents in other regions, reminding them to monitor PAGASA updates and comply with local government directives.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced that the agency has allocated over P598 million in standby funds.
“Mayroon na po tayong higit kalahating bilyon, P598 million na standby funds, bukod pa po diyan sa quick response fund natin na P525 million. Ito po ay readily available para ma-maximize, ma-utilize po natin in case kailanganin. Ang atin pong mga family food packs, nasa isang milyon na po halos iyong naka-preposition natin sa buong bansa,” Lopez said.
The DSWD has prepositioned approximately one million family food packs in different parts of the country.
Officials urge residents not to wait for mandatory evacuation orders and to prioritize preemptive evacuation for their safety.
“Ang paalala lang din po natin sa ating mga kababayan, huwag na po nating hintayin iyong pilitan ika nga sa evacuation, kasi mas maigi po iyong preemptive evacuation,” Lopez added.
