The Philippine archipelago being situated near the Pacific Ocean had been constantly visited with some of the most disastrous super typhoons ever recorded in history. The Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has an average of 20 typhoons every year, with about five to nine of the cyclones crossing the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA).
On the late afternoon of September 25, 2022, the country once again, faced the wrath of nature, when super typhoon Noru with its local name “Karding” ravaged the northern part of the archipelago, including the Metropolitan Manila. With sustained winds of 195 km per hour and gustiness of up to 240 kilometers per hour (10-min interval), the super typhoon made its first landfall in the Pollillo Group of Islands in Quezon Province, followed by another landfall in Dingalan, Aurora in the evening. It then crossed the provinces of Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales, before emerging in the Philippine coastal waters on September 26.
In coordination with the Local Government Units and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippine National Police has significantly mobilized its personnel and resources even before the landfall of typhoon Karding. This is to ensure the safety and protection of every resident particularly in those provinces where the super typhoon was expected to landfall.
Police Lieutenant General Jose Chiquito M. Malayo, PNP Officer-in-Charge, gave strict directives to all Regional Directors and Area Police Commanders of the affected regions to conduct disaster preparedness and maintain a full alert status within their Areas of Responsibilities (AORs), to immediately respond whenever needed.
All affected municipal and city police stations have been conducting inspection and assessment together with other government agencies to ensure the readiness of the different evacuation centers in their areas, in case the situation worsens.
After a day of strong wind and heavy rain, the super typhoon finally exited the country, leaving thousands of houses damaged and hundreds of families being displaced. The country’s death tolls due to Typhoon Karding rose to 12 including the five rescuers from Bulacan Province who were hit by a collapsing wall while conducting rescue operations.
PNP has deployed a total of 1,584 personnel in the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON and Bicol regions for the Search, Rescue and Retrieval operations. Following the response to the actual typhoon, PNP has transitioned to helping the post-disaster efforts of each Local Government Unit.
“Now that “Karding” has exited from the Philippine Area of Responsibility, our personnel will be assisting on clearing operations and relief operations. There is so much work to be done especially that many structures and houses were damaged by the storm,” PNP Officer-in-Charge, Police Lieutenant General Jose Chiquito M. Malayo said.
“Our assets, including our transportation and communication equipment were made available to augment in the rescue, relief and clearing operations. Tulong-tulong tayo sa pagbangon, sino man, saan man, kami ay handa kayong protektahan at pagsilbihan. Kami ang inyong kapulisan. Kakampi ninyo sa kaligtasan,” he added.
With its peace and security framework “Malasakit” (Care), the Philippine National Police is always ready to respond in all circumstances, maintaining a full-scale high alert status to guarantee the safety and protection of every resident to whom we oath to serve and protect.
