The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is calling on Central Luzon residents to be proactive against natural disasters and calamities.

OCD Regional Information Officer Francesca Quizon stated that their office is still on blue alert due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now on guard for possible disasters during the rainy season.

“We should always be ready. Let us be prepared before, during, and after any disaster… We hope that being prepared begins in our homes. Let us prepare in our own families for us to help our communities in times of calamities, and tragedies that we may face,” she said.

Quizon also shared that they are conducting blended or virtual trainings and capacity-building activities involving local government units, and local disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) officers or councils.

“We are doing these sessions so that during the rainy season, the whole region is equipped and ready. At the same time, we are involving those in the grassroots level especially those in the barangay DRRM committees as they are our manpower and force providers,” she added.

She assured the public that their agency, the provincial, and local DRRM offices are fully-equipped and ready to respond to any calamity or disaster.

Meanwhile, with the celebration of the National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM) this July, OCD emphasizes the importance of collaboration of all Filipinos to overcome the challenges due to the pandemic.

With the theme “Ang Sambayanang Pilipino, Nagkakaisa Tungo sa Katatagan at Maunlad na Kinabukasan”, it urges the public to prepare themselves in the emerging diseases or disasters to come towards building a safer, adaptive, and resilient future. (PIA 3)