MANILA – Disaster responders will continue with their duties despite the challenges of “typhoon fatigue” following a series of powerful tropical cyclones pummeling the country in less than a month, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.
OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said some personnel had been getting sick and fatigue.
He said personnel are rotated by assigning teams from other regions to relieve those responders needing rest.
OCD deputy administrator for operations, Assistant Secretary Cesar Idio acknowledged the physical exhaustion at all levels of government due to their ongoing disaster risk management operations.
“The beauty of it, however, is that you can see the cooperation of the various government agencies. They are the ones providing augmentation personnel. And our leaders – you can see our President, our Secretary of National Defense and our Civil Defense Administrator– they are always there, inspiring our responders and managers to continue doing their jobs,” he said.
Idio said Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ordered the deployment of medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, to check the health of disaster responders.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force said it conducted a rapid damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA) in Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac provinces last Nov. 18 to determine the extent of damage caused by the typhoons, including Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi).
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, in a statement, said the mission is a critical role of the PAF in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
“The RDNA aims to provide a comprehensive and immediate assessment of damages caused by Typhoon Pepito, ensuring that the affected communities receive swift and appropriate assistance,” Castillo said.
“This comprehensive assessment ensures that government and humanitarian interventions are effectively targeted.”
The PAF also deployed a C-130 cargo transport on November 18 to airlift 1, 300 family food packs from Mactan, Cebu, to Virac Airport in Catanduanes. (PNA)