Sen. Grace Poe. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines鈥擲enator Grace Poe wants to ensure that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and telecommunications companies (telcos)聽 are complying with the law on sending free mobile alerts to the public.
The senator, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, said in a statement on Thursday: 鈥淭hese alerts should be taken seriously. Many rely on them to determine their course of action during disasters.鈥�
鈥淒isaster alerts can save lives,鈥� she added.
Poe issued the statement after receiving reports that mobile subscribers have not been receiving any alerts related to tropical storm 鈥淕orio鈥� since Wednesday.
鈥淕orio,鈥� which was moving north northwest at 13 kilometers per hour, may intensify into a severe tropical storm in the next 24 to 36 hours, according to Pagasa鈥檚 bulletin issued at 11 p.m. on Wednesday.
Poe said that 鈥渄isasters need not be of epic proportions鈥� for the NDRRMC and telcos to alert the public.
鈥淭he law was primarily crafted as a preventive measure, so that the public can prepare and to avoid casualties,鈥� she added.
The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act mandates telcos around the country to send free mobile alerts before typhoons happen.
According to Poe, information disseminated through mobile alerts coming from government agencies such as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and state weather bureau Pagasa are monitored by the NDRRMC.
She said that with the disaster risk council鈥檚 equipment and experts, they would be able to determine the situation on the ground, and at first instance 鈥渟hould be able to draft a clear alert that the telcos will blast to their subscribers.鈥澛�Christia Marie Ramos, Inquirer Volunteer Corps