CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The possibility of Yolanda happening to Pampanga, and for that matter Aceh too, is all too real.
This, according to Angie Blanco, executive director of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, using as benchmark the storm surge caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that devastated Leyte, Samar and other areas on the country’s eastern seaboard last year, and the tsunami that reduced Aceh, Indonesia to rubble in 2004.
Blanco cited a recent assessment of Ready Project identifying Pampanga barangays prone to either storm surges or tsunami or both. Ready Project is a collaborative effort of the Philippine government with the United Nations Development Programme and Australian Aid.
Government agencies involved in the project are Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration, Philippine Institute of Volcanology, Office of Civil Defense, Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, Assessed as in danger of storm surges are: Bancal Pugad, Bancal Sinubli and Sta. Teresita 2nd in Lubao; Mabuanbuan, Sebitanan, Malusac, Batang 1st and 2nd in Sasmuan; San Esteban, Dalayap and Sua in Macabebe; and Nigui, Bulacus, San Pedro, Malauli, Balibago and Sapang Kawayan in Masantol.
Barangays identified as tsunami-prone are: Consuelo and San Esteban in Macabebe; Bangcal Pugad in Lubao; Mabuanbuan, Batang 1st and 2nd in Sasmuan. Blanco said the PDRRMC is under “urgent” instruction from Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda set to undertake massive information dissemination on the dangers of storm surges and tsunamis as well as conduct regular disaster preparedness drills, including mock evacuation exercises in the identified barangays.
“Vice Governor Delta saw the full scale and scope of the Yolanda devastation first-hand and would not wish even just a fraction of it to visit upon Pampanga,” said Blanco who accompanied the vice governor on a relief-rehabilitation mission to the devastated areas last year.
The mass planting of mangroves in coastal barangays is also being programmed by the PDRRMC, Blanco said, as she noted how mangroves saved the town of Palompon, Leyte from the full brunt of the storm surge caused by Yolanda.
