Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), visited the strategic staging hub at Clark Airbase in Pampanga on July 30, 2025 to inspect the loading of relief items bound for Batanes.
Working under the directives of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Alejandro led coordination efforts to expedite relief operations in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong.
At Clark Airbase, Alejandro led a meeting with key partners, the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and the United States State Department. The meeting aimed to ensure the timely delivery of 6,263 pending food packs to Batanes, where communities remain isolated due to successive storm impacts.
The United States, through the State Department, continues to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, with V-22 Osprey aircraft on standby to support logistics. Alejandro emphasized the importance of quick coordination to meet urgent needs.
Following the site visit in Clark, Alejandro flew to Wallace Airbase in La Union, then traveled to the OCD Regional Office I to assess damage it suffered during the wake of the tropical cyclones. Despite sustaining structural damage from recent storms, the regional office continues to operate and deliver emergency services.
Alejandro assured OCD Region I that support from the central office is on the way. “Our regional offices are the backbone of disaster response,” he stated. “It is our responsibility to reinforce them and ensure they have what they need to serve the Filipino people.”
OCD remains steadfast in delivering responsive, efficient, and coordinated disaster management services nationwide. Under strong leadership and unified action, the agency continues to push forward in building a resilient and prepared Philippines.
