Manila: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has prohibited local officials from traveling abroad in the aftermath of tropical cyclones Tino and Uwan, ensuring their availability for disaster response efforts.
According to Philippines News Agency, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla announced on a television interview that all elective and appointive local officials must cancel or suspend their foreign trips from November 9 to 15. This directive aims to ensure officials are present during the crucial phases of pre-disaster preparations, response, and recovery operations for Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong).
Remulla revealed that he had previously canceled the foreign travels of approximately 40 local officials due to the damage caused by Typhoon Tino. This prompted President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to declare a national state of calamity. “There are some 40 travel leaves that I cancelled, so no one was able to depart for the last six days, seven days I think,” Remulla stated.
The DILG chief, who formerly served as the governor of Cavite, emphasized the importance of local leaders being present on the ground. This aligns with President Marcos’ directive and the declaration of a state of national calamity. “We issued a sweeping memorandum that all travel leaves are cancelled,” Remulla added, stressing that local officials cannot leave during this critical period.
Remulla also reminded local leaders of their legal responsibilities as chairpersons of their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs). They must be physically present during all disaster management phases, including preparation, response, and recovery.
Local government units (LGUs) are required to assist affected communities, reactivate Local Price Coordinating Councils to prevent overpricing, and coordinate with regional and provincial DRRMCs and DILG regional offices for a timely and unified response. All DILG regional directors have been instructed to ensure compliance with these directives.
