MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) yesterday directed local officials to evacuate areas prone to flooding and landslides in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Cordilleras. “Local chief executives as heads of their local disaster risk reduction and management councils must without hesitation do pre-emptive actions to evacuate vulnerable residents. Times like this is when public service has to be most accountable, responsive and foresighted,” DILG Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya declared in a statement. Immediate evacuation should be to areas that are more than 10 meters above sea level, regardless of distance from the coastline,” said Malaya. In La Union, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan, the DILG also ordered local officials to evacuate residents along riverbanks and coastal areas.

Source: Philippine Star September 14, 2018 15:56 UTC