MMDA conducts rescue, declogging amid floods

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday mobilized more than 300 workers to conduct simultaneous rescue and declogging operations in flood-hit areas in the metropolis.

Rescue teams from the MMDA’s Road Emergency Group, Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group, Public Safety Division, and Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office have been deployed, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said.

“We have also deployed heavy equipment and mobile water pumps to facilitate the immediate receding of floods as well as provided (free rides) to passengers along Pasay-Taft, España in Manila, and Sucat in Parañaque,” he said.

The mobile water pumps are stationed in critical areas such as P. Burgos in Manila, EDSA-Taft, Gil Puyat Avenue-Osmeña Highway, and SM Sucat.

In Pasay, Mayor Antonino Calixto ordered the local government’s frontline offices to continuously monitor floods in the city’s 201 barangays, an official said yesterday.

“We are making sure we are responsive to the immediate needs of the people,” said city administrator Dennis Acorda.

As of noon yesterday, 30 families from Barangay 179 in Maricaban have been evacuated to the barangay’s social welfare center.

As of 10 a.m., floodwaters reached two-feet deep in parts of Barangays 176, 177, 183, 184 and 193; three-feet deep in Barangays 182; and nearly four-feet deep in Barangays 185 and 181.

Rains brought by the southwest monsoon have also caused floods along R. Papa street; España Avenue; Blumentritt and P. Burgos street in Manila.

The floods prompted judges in Manila and Quezon City to suspend hearings yesterday. The decision was made by Presiding Judges Marino Dela Cruz and Fernando Sagun Jr. of regional trial courts (RTCs) of Manila and Quezon City, respectively, according to the Supreme Court public information office.

The two presiding judges cited the decisions of local governments in their respective areas to suspend offices in the city halls earlier in the day.

But in other RTCs in Metro Manila – including Makati – no suspension of afternoon hearings and offices was made.

The hearing for arraignment of businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged brains of pork barrel scam, in a serious illegal detention case then proceeded in Makati RTC.

Despite the heavy rains and floodings in the morning, the SC decided not to suspend other courts in Metro Manila “after consulting with presiding judges.” – Mike Frialde, Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Edu Punay