The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Western Visayas has raised its operation alert status to “blue” effective yesterday to enhance its monitoring and coordination for El Niño-related incidents.

Memorandum No. 25, signed by Civil Defense Regional Director Raul Fernandez, also ordered the simultaneous activation of clusters on logistics, law and order, food and non-food, health, and education clusters to facilitate emergency and humanitarian assistance.

The alert status was prompted by below-normal rainfall conditions experienced over the past months, leading to adverse effects on water resources, particularly in the provinces of Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Guimaras, the memorandum read.

“It means we can already use our quick response fund to augment the resources of our line government agencies. The logistics cluster led by the OCD [Office of Civil Defense] can provide transportation for food and non-food items that will be provided by the DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] to their intended populace,” Fernandez said.

He said OCD has a P2.5 million standby fund, which can be replenished upon request from the central office.

As of Monday, April 22, 24 local government units (LGUs) in the region are under the state of calamity, of which 18 are in Antique, two each in Iloilo and Guimaras provinces, and one each in Negros Occidental and Iloilo City.

Fernandez added that as of April 19, the validated damage report on the agri-fishery sector reached P770.58 million, with 20,610 farmers and fisherfolk affected.

“As reported yesterday, although it is still subject to validation by the central [office], our damages from corn, rice, high-value crops, and fisheries and livestock reached P1.2 billion,” he said. (PNA)