DILG urges Northern Luzon LGUs to prep for Typhoon Marce

On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged local government units (LGUs) in Northern Luzon to prepare for Typhoon Marce (Yinxing).

Undersecretary Serafin Barreto Jr. reminded LGUs to ensure that evacuation centers are ready and directed attached agencies such as the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to be on standby.

Firefighters and jail personnel were instructed to work closely with LGUs in stockpiling relief goods and conducting pre-disaster risk assessments for various hazards like floods and landslides.

The DILG also advised the establishment of drop-off zones for orderly distribution of relief goods and emphasized the importance of clearing waterways and drainage systems to mitigate flooding, while prioritizing forced evacuations under Operation LISTO protocols in high-risk areas as mandated by Republic Act 10121 and Section 16 of RA 7160.

LGUs are encouraged to identify and prepare structurally sound evacuation centers equipped with basic facilities for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.