DOH stresses importance of having a ‘go bag’ in case of disasters

In observance of National Disaster Resilience Month, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday reminded the public to have an emergency go bag on hand with essential supplies in case of disasters or calamities.

During a Kapihan forum, DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau’s Maria Belinda Evangelista pointed out that the Philippines is geographically exposed to natural hazards, being located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Pacific Typhoon Belt.

Illustrations: Department of Health

This is why, she said, it is important to have every household prepare go bags which consist of first aid kit, food, bottled water, medicines, clothes, survival kit, IDs, and other important documents.

“Ang minimum requirement is that is at least you can survive for three days bago dumating ‘yung mga sasaklolo sa’yo,” she said.

(The minimum requirement is that you can survive for at least three days before the rescuers come to help you.)

"Depende kung ano ang kailangan mo. Siyempre kung may anak kang bata o sanggol, then you prepare something na kakailanganin niya," she also said.

(It depends on what you will need. Of course, if you have a child or a baby, then you should have items that they will need.)

Currently, Mayon Volcano in Albay is under Alert Level 3 due to intensified unrest. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Wednesday said a total of 232 rockfall and five dome collapse pyroclastic density current events were recorded in Mayon Volcano over the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, state weather bureau PAGASA said that 11 to 14 tropical cyclones are still expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility from July until the end of the year.

PAGASA on Tuesday also declared the start of the El Niño phenomenon in the Tropical Pacific, saying its effects are now expected in the Philippines. — BM, GMA Integrated News