HSE — Typhoon
Typhoon Operations
People First. Always.
Assets and buildings are replaceable. People and lives are not. Everything is insured.
Every decision in this document follows one order: Humans first. Then animals. Then buildings and assets. Nobody puts themselves in danger to protect property. No exceptions.
PRIOR PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE
The 6 Ps — not just for typhoons. For everything.
Bicol averages 19–20 typhoons per wet season. This is not an emergency — it is the calendar. Our structures are built to last. Our procedures are built around it. If the 6 Ps are followed, the storm is just weather.
This is a staged pack-down and recovery plan aligned to PAGASA Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals. Each signal level triggers a defined set of actions. No guessing. No scrambling. The preparation is done before the wind arrives.
PAGASA Signal Reference
| Signal | Wind Speed | Lead Time | Our Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal 1 | 30–60 km/h | 36 hours | Preparation — non-essentials close, animals secured, supplies checked |
| Signal 2 | 61–120 km/h | 24 hours | Full lockdown — all spokes closed, barricades up, shelter offered |
| Signal 3 | 121–170 km/h | 18 hours | All operations stopped — wait out the storm |
| Signal 4/5 | 171–220+ km/h | 12 hours | Shelter in place — Cat 5 rated hub holds |
| Post-Storm | — | — | Contact everyone, offer help, essential spokes open |
Signal 1 — Preparation
30–60 km/h winds expected within 36 hours. This is not danger yet. This is the 6 Ps in action. We are still a store — we are still serving the community. But preparation begins now.
Priority: People & Animals
Contacts & Warnings
- Fish vendors contacted — local fishermen, boat operators, bay suppliers all notified of incoming weather
- Help offered — if fishermen or vendors need assistance securing boats, nets, or stock, we help
- Satellite stores contacted — prepare for potential closure at Signal 2
- All staff notified — PAGASA Signal 1 in effect, standby for Signal 2 actions
Priority: Animals — Smallest to Largest Risk
Animal Security
- Poultry is first priority — manok die first in typhoons. Manok tractors must be secured or relocated to covered ground. Agrupacion poultry farm gets staff allocation first.
- Small animals addressed next — each species checked, counted, brought to secure enclosures
- Kambing and baka — brought in from distant paddocks to closer, manageable holding zones, ready to be put under cover if needed
- All animals checked and counted — headcount confirmed against register. Any missing animals located now, not after the storm.
Structures & Infrastructure
- Greenhouses — main doors closed, breathing flaps left open (pressure equalisation)
- Nursery — same as greenhouses, main doors closed, breathing flaps open
- Loose items — anything that can become a projectile is brought inside or tied down. Signage, chairs, tables, market displays, bins.
- Drains cleared — all drainage channels, fat traps, courtyard drains checked and cleared of debris
- Generators tested — start-up test, fuel level confirmed
Supplies Check
- Clean water — tanks topped up, reserve containers filled
- Animal feeds — minimum 14 days supply confirmed in dry storage
- Diesel — self-bunded fuel tanks full. Generator fuel reserve confirmed.
- Solar batteries — fully charged, system tested
- Kitchen supplies — rice, canned goods, cooking gas, basics for feeding staff and sheltering families
- First aid — kits checked, medications in date, supplies topped up
Spoke Status at Signal 1
| Spoke | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Feeds & Supply | OPEN | Farmers may need last-minute supplies. Stay open. |
| Merkado | OPEN | Community stocking up. Stay open. |
| Katayan | OPEN | Open. Prioritise stock that won't hold — sell or process. |
| Panaderia | OPEN | Bake extra. People stock bread before storms. |
| Alijandro's Kambingan | OPEN | Open. Hot meals for the community. |
| Deliveries | ESSENTIAL ONLY | Final deliveries to remote customers if safe. No new routes. |
| Nursery, Soil & Compost | CLOSED | Non-essential. Secure structures. |
| Slow Food & Training | CLOSED | Non-essential. Close. |
| Regen Gardening | CLOSED | Non-essential. Secure tools. |
| Poultry | LOCKDOWN PREP | Staff priority — secure all birds. |
| Livestock | LOCKDOWN PREP | Bring animals to holding zones. |
| Marine & Seafood | CLOSED | Vendors notified. No deliveries incoming. |
Signal 2 — Full Lockdown
61–120 km/h winds expected within 24 hours. Light structures damaged, trees uprooted, tin roofing lifts, loose items become projectiles. Power outages likely. This is lockdown.
Priority: People — Always First
People
- All staff are free to return home — to be with their families, to prepare their own homes
- All staff are free to send for their families — bring them to the hub or Big Farm for shelter
- Any staff, farmers, or their contacts who need or want shelter are welcome — at the Hub or Big Farm structures. No questions asked. Doors are open.
- Kambingan stays operational — upper level external doors closed and locked, but the kitchen runs for basic essentials. Hot meals, clean water, coffee for everyone sheltering.
- Kambingan is the central operations point — communications, coordination, headcount.
Priority: Animals
Animal Lockdown
- Poultry in full lockdown — all manok secure in covered structures. Manok tractors either anchored or emptied and birds moved inside.
- All small animals safe-checked — every animal on site confirmed secure, under cover, with feed and water
- Kambing and baka in holding yards — not in open paddocks. In solid holding yards with shelter access.
- Final headcount confirmed — every animal accounted for against register
Full Site Lockdown
- All spokes closed — including all satellite stores. Full lockdown. No trading.
- Upper Kambingan external doors closed and locked — kitchen operational internally only
- Prefab barricades deployed — 1-tonne concrete blocks with steel frames and wind barriers placed in front of hub lower level courtyard. Prevents internal wind damage and debris penetration.
- All vehicles parked and secured — under cover where possible, handbrakes on, keys collected
- Cool rooms and freezers — doors sealed. Stock is safe. Temperature holds for 48+ hours without power if doors stay closed.
Supplies — 14 Days Self-Sufficient
- The hub can and will always be safe. Everything needed for two weeks of operations is secured — for both staff and animals.
- Clean water — tanks full, reserve containers ready
- Diesel generators — fuelled, tested, ready to run
- Solar batteries — charged
- Self-bunded fuel tanks — full
- Animal feeds — 14 days minimum, dry and secure
- Kitchen stocked — rice, canned goods, cooking gas, water, basics
- First aid & medications — checked and ready
- Communications — phones charged, power banks ready, radio if available
The Hub
The lower level office is a full Cat 5 typhoon-proof building. Generators, batteries, clean water supply in tanks, self-bunded fuel. The hub can and will always be safe. It does not fail.
Spoke Status at Signal 2
| Spoke | Status |
|---|---|
| All 12 Spokes | CLOSED |
| All Satellite Stores | CLOSED |
| Alijandro's Kambingan (internal only) | ESSENTIAL — Feeding & Shelter |
Signal 3 — All Operations Stopped
121–170 km/h winds expected within 18 hours. Significant structural damage to weak buildings. Heavy rain. Flooding. Flying debris.
People Are Sheltered. Stay Sheltered.
Storm Phase
- All operations have stopped — business is closed
- Nobody goes outside — no exceptions, no heroics, no checking on animals during the storm
- Wait out the storm — pending Signal 4 and 5
- Kambingan kitchen continues — feeding everyone sheltering at the hub
- Headcount maintained — everyone at the hub is accounted for at all times
- Monitor PAGASA updates — track signal changes, storm path, expected duration
Signal 4/5 — Extreme — Shelter in Place
171–220+ km/h winds. Catastrophic damage to most structures. The hub holds. That is what it was built for.
Stay Inside. The Hub Holds.
Extreme Storm Phase
- Everyone stays inside the Cat 5 rated structure — lower level office and Kambingan
- No movement outside under any circumstances
- Generator runs as needed — lights, charging, refrigeration
- Kitchen feeds everyone — hot food, clean water, coffee
- Wait for PAGASA all-clear or downgrade
Post-Storm — Recovery & Community Response
Recovery Priority Order: Humans → Animals → Buildings
Immediate — First Hour After All-Clear
Nobody puts themselves in danger to assess damage to an asset. It is insured. People are not.
- 1. Humans first — contact all staff, families, farmers, and their contacts. Every single person. Are they safe? Do they need help?
- 2. Animals second — headcount against register, injuries assessed, veterinary care where needed
- 3. Buildings and assets third — structural damage assessed only when it is safe to do so. No one enters a damaged structure until it is confirmed stable.
- Help is offered — clean-up operations, fuel, assets, tractors, trucks, food, animal feeds. Whatever is needed.
- Barangay captain coordinates — the local barangay captain can organise and make requests of spoke managers for community needs
- Spoke managers respond to requests — fuel, vehicles, manpower, food supplies, animal feed, building materials
Site Assessment
- Walk the site — structural damage, flooding, fallen trees, debris, power lines down
- Animal headcount — every animal checked against the register. Injuries assessed. Veterinary care where needed.
- Infrastructure check — generators, solar, water tanks, cool rooms (check temperatures), fencing, roads
- Remove barricades — when safe. Concrete blocks and wind barriers cleared from courtyard.
- Drain and flood assessment — clear blocked drains, pump standing water, check septic system
Essential Spokes Open First
The community needs us. These spokes open as soon as it is safe to do so:
| Spoke | Why |
|---|---|
| Panaderia | Bread. People need to eat. Bake first. |
| Merkado | Fresh produce, eggs, dairy, essentials. |
| Katayan | Protein. Especially if power is out elsewhere and others are losing stock. |
| Feeds & Supply | Farmers need animal feed. Their supply chains may be broken. Ours isn't. |
| Alijandro's Kambingan | Hot meals. Community table. A place to sit, eat, and regroup. |
The Point
We are dry. We are safe. We are secure. We are stocked for 14 days. Our structures are built to last. If the 6 Ps were followed — and they will be, every time — we don't have losses.
The hub is not just a business. Post-storm, it is a resource for the entire community. That is what it was built for.
Pack-Down Checklists
Print these. Pin them on the wall. Every spoke manager has a copy. When PAGASA issues Signal 1, the list comes off the wall and work begins.
Signal 1 Checklist
- PAGASA Signal 1 confirmed — all staff notified
- Fish vendors, fishermen, boat operators contacted — help offered
- Satellite stores notified — prepare for Signal 2 closure
- Poultry: Agrupacion farm — staff deployed, manok tractors secured
- Poultry: All birds checked, counted, confirmed in secure enclosures
- Small animals: All checked, counted, secure
- Kambing: Brought from distant paddocks to close holding zones
- Baka: Brought from distant paddocks to close holding zones
- Animal register: Headcount confirmed against register
- Greenhouses: Main doors closed, breathing flaps open
- Nursery: Main doors closed, breathing flaps open
- Loose items: All outdoor furniture, signage, bins, displays brought inside or tied down
- Drains: All drainage channels cleared of debris
- Generators: Start-up tested, fuel confirmed
- Clean water: Tanks topped, reserve containers filled
- Animal feeds: 14-day supply confirmed in dry storage
- Diesel: Self-bunded tanks full, generator fuel confirmed
- Solar batteries: Fully charged, system tested
- Kitchen supplies: Rice, canned goods, gas, basics stocked
- First aid kits: Checked, medications in date, topped up
- Non-essential spokes closed: Nursery, Slow Food, Regen, Marine
- Essential spokes open: Feeds, Merkado, Katayan, Panaderia, Kambingan
Signal 2 Checklist
- PAGASA Signal 2 confirmed — all staff notified
- Staff: Free to return home or send for families
- Shelter: Doors open at Hub and Big Farm for staff, farmers, families, contacts
- All spokes closed — including all satellite stores
- Poultry: Full lockdown confirmed — all birds secure under cover
- Small animals: All confirmed safe under cover with feed and water
- Kambing and baka: In holding yards with shelter access
- Final animal headcount: Confirmed against register
- Kambingan: External doors closed and locked, kitchen running internally
- Prefab barricades: 1-tonne concrete blocks, steel frames, wind barriers deployed at hub lower level courtyard
- All vehicles: Parked, secured, under cover where possible, keys collected
- Cool rooms and freezers: Doors sealed, stock confirmed
- Generators: Ready to run
- Solar batteries: Charged
- Self-bunded fuel tanks: Full
- Clean water: Tanks and reserves confirmed
- Animal feeds: 14 days confirmed
- Communications: Phones charged, power banks ready
- Headcount: All persons at hub accounted for
Post-Storm Checklist
- PAGASA all-clear or signal downgrade confirmed
- All staff, families, farmers, contacts called — safety confirmed, help offered
- Barangay captain contacted — community needs assessed
- Site walk: Structural damage, flooding, debris, power lines assessed
- Animal headcount: All animals checked against register, injuries assessed
- Cool rooms: Temperature checked — stock confirmed safe
- Generators: Status confirmed
- Solar: Status confirmed
- Water: Tanks and supply confirmed
- Drains: Cleared, standing water pumped
- Barricades removed from courtyard
- Fencing: Perimeter checked, breaks repaired
- Roads: Private loop road and driveways checked, debris cleared
- Essential spokes open: Panaderia, Merkado, Katayan, Feeds, Kambingan
- Community requests: Spoke managers responding to barangay captain requests
- Incident log: Any damage, injuries, or losses recorded in Incidents
Why This Works
19–20 typhoons a year is not a surprise. It is the rhythm of life in Bicol. The preparation is not a reaction — it is built into the way the farm operates every day.
- Structures built for Bicol — Cat 5 rated hub, earth-ramped cool rooms, bunker design. Built to last, not to be replaced.
- 14-day self-sufficiency — fuel, water, feeds, food, power. The hub runs without the grid.
- Circular driveways — no vehicles trapped, no bottlenecks during evacuation or recovery
- Cool room tunnel — built into the hill, soil-insulated. Holds temperature without power for 48+ hours.
- Animal staging — holding zones designed so livestock can be secured in hours, not days
- Community hub — post-storm, the farm feeds the community. Panaderia, Merkado, Katayan, Feeds, Kambingan. Open when others can't.
- The 6 Ps — Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. If the plan is followed, the storm is just weather.
Related Documents
- Safety & Zones — Site zones, vehicle areas, pedestrian boundaries, PPE
- Incidents — Incident log and reporting
- Construction — Building design, typhoon-rated structures
- Logistics — Vehicle fleet, fuel, transport
- Utilities — Power, water, generators, solar