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DILG tells governors, mayors to stay in posts, prepare for Egay

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Tropical Storm Egay as of Sunday, July 23, 2023. Satellite image courtesy of US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/07/23/20230723-egay-ph.jpg"/><figcaption>Tropical Storm Egay as of Sunday, July 23, 2023. <em>Satellite image courtesy of US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Local government units (LGU) were reminded Sunday to closely monitor developments on storm Egay and implement disaster preparedness protocols.</p><p>In a statement, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. told governors, mayors and other local chief executives to be present and stay in their posts &quot;before, during, and after a typhoon hits,&quot; and to implement the DILG&#x27;s &quot;Operation L!STO&quot; disaster protocols.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/23/egay-nears-severe-tropical-storm-category-pagasa">Egay intensifies, nears Severe Tropical Storm category - PAGASA</a></li></ul><p>Abalos said it is important for governors and mayors to stay in their posts as their powers were needed to properly implement the said protocols, describing their presence as &quot;critical&quot; in the implementation. </p><p>Part of the local chief executives&#x27; responsibilities within the Operation L!STO protocols include convening local disaster councils within 24 hours to get the latest severe weather bulletin, reviewing local disaster contingency plans and hazard risk maps, as well as organizing teams for search-and-rescue, search-and-retrieval, security, and clearing operations.</p><p>Governors and mayors are also mandated under the protocols to conduct a risk assessment before a cyclone hits to prepare appropriate response plans, to assess the functionality of evacuation centers, and to activate their incident command systems.</p><p>&quot;It has been proven that the Operation L!STO Protocols saves lives. We continue to remind our LCEs to stay in their posts in time of typhoons at pangunahan ang pagpapatupad nito sa kanilang mga nasasakupan. It needs LCEs to ensure that its guidelines will be implemented well lalo ngayon may parating na bagyo,&quot; Abalos said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/23/storm-egay-may-become-super-typhoon-says-pagasa">Storm Egay may become super typhoon, says PAGASA</a></li></ul><p>The interior secretary stressed the importance of preparing evacuation centers in case of pre-emptive and forced evacuation, especially in flood- and landslide-prone areas.</p><p>Governors and mayors are also reminded of their responsibilities to advise constituents to avoid danger zones, issue prohibitions for sea travel, fishing, and swimming, and disseminate public warnings through established warning systems and weather bulletins.</p><p>“Operation L!STO remains to be the blueprint for LGUs to prepare for disasters. Kaya inaasahan nating pangungunahan nila [LCEs] ang pagsunod sa mga preparedness measures nito,” Abalos said.</p><p>In its latest bulletin issued 5 a.m. Sunday, PAGASA said Egay slightly strengthened and was poised to intensify into a severe<strong> </strong>tropical storm.</p><p>Egay&#x27;s eye was last seen 585 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and 105 kph gusts. It was moving west northwestward at 10 kph.</p><p>PAGASA earlier said that Egay may become a <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/23/23/storm-egay-may-become-super-typhoon-says-pagasa">super typhoon next week</a>.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/22/23/marcos-suspends-govt-work-classes-on-july-24-due-to-egay-transport-strike">suspended classes and work</a> in the entire Metro Manila on Monday, July 24, in anticipation of Egay and a scheduled transport strike. He is also set to deliver his second State of the Nation Address afternoon of that day.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EMRCJeNtsTE?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The DILG reminded local government units (LGU) to closely monitor developments on storm 'Egay' and implement disaster preparedness protocols.