MANILA, (PIA) — Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has dispatched a 50-member disaster response team to assist communities with road-clearing and search-and-rescue operations in flood-affected areas of the Bicol Region.
“We are also preparing in the event that the NCR will be hit by the typhoon that’s why we decided to dispatch half of our assets to the Bicol region. The other half is ready to respond in case NCR will be hit by this weather disturbance,” MMDA Chairman Atty. Don Artes said, explaining that the agency is closely monitoring conditions in the National Capital Region (NCR). If Metro Manila remains unaffected, additional teams will be sent to Northern Luzon, where Tropical Storm Kristine has made landfall.
“We are continuously coordinating and monitoring the situation in the metropolis through advisories released by PAGASA,” he added
This deployment comes in response to significant flooding that hit the Bicol region on Tuesday, October 22.
The MMDA teams, consisting of 30 members focused on clearing debris and 20 dedicated to search and rescue, will primarily operate in Albay and Camarines Sur, the provinces most severely impacted by the flooding.
The teams deployed to Bicol are equipped with essential resources, including 40 solar-powered water filtration systems, one aluminum boat, two engine-operated rubber boats, 20 small fiberglass boats, 1,000 life vests, six chainsaws, modular evacuation tents, and medicines for leptospirosis.
“The team will focus on clearing roads to ensure mobility and accessibility, while the search and rescue team will conduct operations in flooded areas,” explained Artes, who also chairs the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Food packs from institutional donors are also set to be distributed to affected residents, with deliveries expected to arrive in the Bicol region by Friday morning.
The official noted that the MMDA is coordinating with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to identify specific areas where resources will be deployed.
The MMDA has activated its emergency operations center and has conducted an inventory of assets from local government units in Metro Manila, ensuring that resources are prepositioned in flood-prone areas. (GLG/PIA-NCR)
(Photos: MMDA Facebook page)
