EDITORIAL – Keep safe in the Holy Week

The country’s Catholic community begins its traditional Lenten break today. Although the Holy Week is a religious observance among Roman Catholic faithfuls, the Lenten break will be everyone’s respite from work regardless of belief.
As everyone gets set to go to their respective destinations during the long holiday, it is best to heed the caution for a safe and relaxing break.
First, there is a reason to be updated with the weather reports. There’s a storm (Chedeng) brewing
‘Chedeng’ was spotted on Monday 2,240 kilometers (km) east of Mindanao and was packing maximum sustained winds of 140 km per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 170 kph. The typhoon was moving west at 23 kph.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), meantime, has declared that they are on top of the situation as they anticipate the entry of Typhoon Chedeng into the Philippine area of responsibility on Wednesday.
In Davao, the ‘Oplan Semana Santa’ has been installed involving the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD), Office of Civil Defense, Central 911, and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. This will ensure the safety and security of Dabawenyos, as well as tourists visiting the city for the Lenten season.
For everyone’s information, the DSWD has reactivated its Quick Response Team for Disaster Preparedness as well as 24/7 Posting of Staff for Skeletal Duty during the period of Holy Week Observance, 24/7 On Call Status of DSWD Provincial Action Teams and Municipal Action Teams, and 24/7 On Call Status for all DSWD vehicles.
There is also a standby supply of family food packs at the Inter-Agency Relief Operations Center in Davao City. Food packs have also been prepositioned in DSWD satellite areas located in the four provinces -Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur.
However, no matter how prepared our agencies are in case of emergencies and disasters, safety remains everyone’s foremost concern. In this travelling season, it pays to be ‘armed’ — from getting our cars road-worthy, to packing emergency gadgets and equipment, and making sure we leave our homes secured and safe.
Keep safe, everyone.