Catbalogan mayor calls for prayers

CEBU, Philippines - Catbalogan City (Samar) Mayor Stephanie Tan Uy yesterday said, "We're ready, but still we need everyone's prayers," as the city consolidated all possible resources for pro-active and reactive responses against the expected onslaught of Yolanda.

Despite the preparations, the mayor said she hoped that Yolanda will not wrought much havoc in the city.

About 40 families were already evacuated from the city's Brgy. Bangon yesterday due to fear of possible overflowing of Bangon River, while some residents from upland villages, voluntarily left their homes and stayed in their relatives at the downtown area.

City Disaster Risk Reduction Management (CDRRM) officer Eliot Lopez told The Freeman that another set of evacuees were expected from 29 high-risk barangays as pre-emptive evacuation is being arranged as of this writing.

Uy said classes at all levels in the city were suspended since Wednesday morning while office work at the City Hall was suspended today.

As of this writing, the city has been pruning trees along its streets, while monitoring teams were taking rounds in high-risk communities as continuous rain started to pour since early morning of Wednesday.

Samar Electric Cooperative II information officer Dickson Bernales said the cooperative has been on high red alert in preparation for possible power outage. "Catbalogan City is the first priority in the power restoration sequence ... while another team is stationed in Paranas town," he said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard here, headed by Commander Lowie Palines said trips of all vessels (Allen-Matnog route) were already suspended since Wednesday evening, and informed that a total of 306 passengers were already stranded at the Allen port in Northern Samar..

The NFA, on the other hand, assured Samarnons and other LGUs that it has enough supply of rice in its warehouses. (FREEMAN)