Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday took to Facebook to emphasize the importance of year-round disaster preparedness as the country braces for the possible effects of typhoon Inday.

Cayetano made the point in a livestream during a meeting of Taguig City officials on July 9, 2026 to coordinate the city’s response should the typhoon make a landfall and affect the area.

The Taguigeño senator shared how the City has been working “year-round” to ensure preparedness for any disaster and mitigate risk.

“Ito ay emergency meeting para sa preparation sa landfall. But the message is not that we’re preparing, but that we’re prepared,” he said. “Iba ang paghahanda, iba ang handa na.”

Cayetano, husband of Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, cited the city’s comprehensive and year-round approach to disaster management, including clearing waterways, checking roof safety, strictly enforcing building and land-use regulations, and warning against illegal electrical connections that may cause fires.

The Minority Leader also emphasized that good disaster management programs require both capable leadership and public participation.

“I want to thank y’ung constituents natin kasi kahit anong galing ng leader, kung y’ung constituents, kung y’ung mga taumbayan hindi nagko-cooperate, wala rin mangyayari,” he said.

Cayetano has long pushed for stronger national disaster preparedness. In the 20th Congress, he filed as one of his priority measures Senate Bill No. 105 or the proposed Emergency Response Department Act to create a dedicated department that would work year-round to plan for, respond to, and help communities recover from disasters.

He first filed a similar measure in 2013 after Super Typhoon Yolanda and has since been consistently renewing the said proposal.

“Kailangan pagdating sa pagmi-mitigate ng mga disasters at saka pagdating sa rehabilitation, may isang natuturo, may isang accountable, at isang nakatutok talaga d’yan,” he earlier said.

Nonetheless, Cayetano honored the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and other disaster responders in Taguig and across the country for their dedication.

“Let me honor not only the NDRRMC, but every single group that has been meeting, not only today, but others over the weekend, depending on the area, especially in the north,” he said.

He urged the public to pray for the safety not only of families who may be affected by the typhoon but also of the responders.

“Pray for safety for everyone. Pati po y’ung mga emergency responders, barangay, konsehal nawawalan din ng bahay. Ang hirap mag-respond kung y’ung mismong nag-respond ay problemado din,” he said.

He also called for prayers for national renewal, noting that flooding is caused by environmental abuse and worsened by corruption in flood control infrastructure.

“Kung ano ang itatanim, ‘yan din ang aanihin. So kung may massive urbanization, kung saan-saan nagtatambak, reclamation, mga estero, mga riverbeds, tapos mayroon pang graft and corruption sa ghost flood projects, [babaha talaga],” he said.

“Pray that there’s a real change, repentance, renewal, reformation in our country,” he added.###