DILG urges LGUs to prepare for possible N. Korea rocket debris

MANILA, Philippines— If debris from North Korea’s rocket launch falls on your area, do not touch it and call the fire department immediately.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on Monday gave this and other instructions to governors, mayors and village chiefs as part of the government’s precautionary measures against North Korea’s planned rocket launch this month.

In his directive to local officials from Regions I, II, III , IV-A, V, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Robredo said that government units should have “precautionary measures to prevent loss of lives and property” during North Korea’s scheduled launch of a long-range ballistic missile.

The said regions fell on the projected path of the missile and were identified as “vulnerable areas” by the National Disaster Risk and Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) during an inter-agency meeting on April 3.

The DILG said that the directive was part of the government’s contingency measure amid North Korea’s plans of launching an observation satellite into orbit between April 12 to 16. The United States and other countries, however, believe that North Korea will launch a nuclear missile.

Robredo told local chief executives to put their respective local DRRMC on alert status and to issue an advisory to prevent fishermen from sailing throughout the duration of the reported schedule of the missile launch.

He also asked local officials to coordinate with concerned agencies such as the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, MARINA, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Red Cross, Regional Office of Civil Defense and DILG in the implementation of their measures.

In his directive, Robredo advised the public to call the fire department in the event rocket debris are observed or found in their areas, as firefighters are trained for such situations. He added that the debris “should be secured without human touch.”

NDRRMC earlier announced that Northern Luzon would be a “no-fly zone” and “no cruise zone” for the duration of the rocket launch.

Originally posted at 10:43 am | Monday, April 9, 2012