DABAWENYOS URGED TO HEED CALLS FOR EVACUATION DURING DISASTER

With the onset of the rainy days, the Davao City government has called on all Dabawenyos especially those living in flood and landslide-prone areas to be vigilant at all times and heed advice for pre-emptive evacuation.The reminder was issued after the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) rescue teams were facing challenges in evacuating residents of Bangkal during Tuesday night’s flooding incident.“May we remind everyone nga once magsulti og pre-emptive evacuation ang atong City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Barangay Risk Reduction and Management Office, kinahanglan mapatuman ta sa pre-emptive evacuation so that dili ta maabot sa punto nga kinahanglan na ta i-rescue dinha sa atoang lugar (May we remind everyone to follow once the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Barangay Risk Reduction and Management Office implement pre-emptive evacuation so we will not reach the point that we need rescue you when the floodwater is high),” said Mayor Inday Sara Duterte over Davao City Disaster Radio on Wednesday.She said that there are still residents who refused and waited for the water to rise and get inside their homes before they evacuate. The mayor said this practice should stop to prevent things to worsen.On Tuesday, Davao City experienced moderate to heavy rain causing Talomo River channels to overflow to nearby residential areas in Barangay Talomo Proper. The responding teams from CDRRMO evacuated around 900 individuals from the affected areas to three (3) evacuation sites.The city government also deployed its Kusina ng Bayan under the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to serve hot meals, while 1,000 reusable face masks were also distributed by the City Health Office (CHO). CIOCategorized in Disaster Risk Reduction & Mitigation

Climate Change in Mindanao

It's summer again in the Philippines. It's hot - also here in Mindanao. It rains. Sometimes it pours cats and dogs. Yes, we can feel the climate change also here. Especially Region XII is highly at risk in a changing climate condition with increased rainfall and rising sea levels.

Herlita G. Caraan, National Statistical coordinator Board Region XII chief, said that more rainfall, an increase in temperature and rising sea levels would hit the area in the medium term 2020 - 2050.

In a fact sheet, NSCB Region XII warned of worse flooding, landslide and storm surges affecting hundreds of villages in the region as a result of climate change. Based on a mid-range scenario simulations by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), rainfall in Region XII was predicted to increase in 2020 by as much as 14.8 percent and 15.6 percent by 2050.

The increased rainfall was projected to happen during the north-east monsoon season (December to February) and during transition of seasons from September to November. These period will be wetter and with potential for increased flooding.

Temperatures are also expected to increase across the whole year. This is what people experience right now - and not only in Mindanao. Warmer temperatures would also result to increase risks to infectious diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis. 

The NCSB XII report says, that areas mostly likely to be affected are coastal areas  in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City and especially Cotabato City as 70 percent of the city's total land area is below sea level.