Lucena City gets OCD partnership, emergency NFI supply

By Nimfa L. Estrellado Mayor Kuya Mark Alcala (seated, center right) and Vice Mayor Roderick Alcala (seated, center left) sign the Memorandu...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado

Mayor Kuya Mark Alcala (seated, center right) and Vice Mayor Roderick Alcala (seated, center left) sign the Memorandum of Agreement with OCD Regional Director Carlos Eduardo Alvarez III (standing, second from left) and other officials from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) at the Lucena City Hall, formalizing the new partnership and prepositioning of emergency aid. (Lucena City PIO)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Recognizing that every second counts when disaster strikes, Lucena City's taking proactive steps to safeguard its residents by strengthening disaster preparedness, improving local coordination, and ensuring the swift delivery of essential humanitarian aid through the immediate prepositioning of crucial Non-Food Items (NFIs).

As a direct result of this strategic push, Mayor Mark Alcala implemented the policy shift by releasing a memorandum. This effort was formally solidified on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Lucena City Hall, through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), represented by Regional Director Carlos Eduardo Alvarez III and Operations Chief Randy Dela Paz, and the turnover of Non-Food Items (NFIs).



The agreement focuses on enhancing the city's readiness and speed of response during times of calamity, especially since Lucena is highly susceptible to typhoons and flash flooding (particularly from the major Dumacaa and Iyam Rivers). Given that past major events, such as Typhoon Aghon (Ewiniar) in May 2024, caused widespread flooding in low-lying areas, underscoring the necessity for swift, coordinated action.

The OCD serves as the lead coordinating agency for disaster risk reduction and management in the Philippines, assisting local government units like the CDRRMO, which handles front-line response. Consequently, the cooperation will establish standardized communication protocols and data-sharing mechanisms between the OCD's regional office and the CDRRMO, ensuring a unified command structure is in place before a storm makes landfall.

The strategic cooperation was immediately reinforced by the physical turnover of emergency supplies, valued at over P250,000, ensuring the city’s immediate humanitarian needs can be met without waiting for regional dispatch orders. Provided by the OCD’s regional office, these assets ensure Lucena City has localized, ready-to-deploy humanitarian aid, minimizing the response time lag usually caused by transporting resources from the regional center.

During the official turnover ceremony, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) received vital prepositioned supplies, including 300 Hygiene Kits and 30 Family Packs. The kits include essential personal sanitary items and comprehensive sleeping and kitchen wares for self-sufficiency during evacuation, designed to support up to 300 individuals and 30 families for an initial period of 72 hours.

Mayor Alcala framed the partnership as a critical investment in the city's long-term resilience, emphasizing a shift from reactive aid to proactive preparation. He stressed that pre-positioning resources fundamentally changes how the city responds, moving its strategy from recovery mode to immediate mitigation of impact.