The government is prepared to mobilize resources and deploy more reinforcement teams to assist in the operations in the Bicol Region following the severe flooding caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

OCD spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas said this amid the continuous strong rains caused by Typhoon Kristine in different parts of the country on Thursday, Oct. 24.

In a press briefing in Malacañan, Posadas said the OCD was already gathering all the essential assets and equipment committed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro during the situation briefing presided over by President Marcos on Wednesday.

In addition to the committed assets and equipment, Posadas said there were also 17 air assets prepositioned at the Villanmor Airbase and in Cebu. 

"Readily deployable weather permitting [because] we have to be sure din po that our pilots, our assets, are safe. And iyan po ay (That is the) commitment and we are going to keep it," said.

Posadas said help and other government assistance are already on the way to Bicol and other provinces that were severely flooded.

He added that the OCD is likewise sending more reinforcement teams to assist in rescue operations in affected areas despite them still being submerged in flood.

"There are enough resources pero,  yun nga, sa taas ng baha (but the flood is still high)—these are in Naga and several municipalities in Camarines Sur such as Presentacion, Bula, and the other towns nearby," Posadas said.

According to the OCD official, teams and equipment from the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have been deployed to augment the operations of local government units.

Reinforcement teams from Eastern Visayas will also be assisting in Bicol.

Meanwhile, Posadas said aid has already been mobilized in the towns of Polangui and Libon in Albay. On the other hand, the Solcom and the Region VIII contingent are providing augmentation to reach far-flung barangays.

President Marcos has instructed concerned agencies to marshal all necessary assets, such as rubber boats, even from as far as Mindanao, and bring them to areas affected by the storm.

The President also responded to the request of former vice president Leni Robredo for rubber boats in Naga City, which was also severely affected by the massive flooding.