Iligan City (PIA)–With Jolina (Conson) strengthening from a tropical depression into a typhoon and now wreaking havoc across the eastern Visayas and southern Luzon regions, the Lanao del Norte 2nd District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is gearing up for storms this September that may affect the city and Lanao del Norte province.
“We have to be in a constant state of readiness so that our personnel can immediately respond to any emergencies in our AOR. During calamities, seconds can spell the difference between life and death,” said District Engineer Alykhan Ali.
With Iligan City being surrounded by mountains, DPWH engineers have already identified the calamity-prone areas for pre-positioning of equipment and first-responders whenever a storm threatens to affect northern Mindanao.
The storm activity reaches a minimum in May before increasing steadily to June and spiking from July to September.
“The Philippines is visited by an average of 20 typhoons every year, and although not all pass through Mindanao we have to be prepared for any eventualities,” said Maintenance Section Head Efren Tulod. (VNL/DPWH-PIO)
