MMDA opens anti-disaster warehouse in Marikina

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has opened a warehouse for rescue and disaster equipment in flood-prone Marikina City.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the warehouse is located at Barangay Tañong which is a flood-free area.

"Binaha ‘yung Marikina noong Ondoy, pero ‘yung location naman noong warehouse sa Barangay Tañong in Marikina, hindi naman binabaha kasi mataas ‘yung lugar," said Tolentino.

In addition to being a storage area for rescue and disaster equipment, Tolentino said the warehouse will also be the centralized dispatch area for rescue personnel.

For her part, MMDA general manager Corazon Jimenez said the MMDA’s rescue personnel from the public safety division will also be transferred at the warehouse so that they will be deployed easily to areas that need immediate assistance.

She also said the agency is also planning to put up rescue and disaster warehouses in four other identified sites under the MMDA's Oplan Metro Yakal for earthquake response.

The four designated sites are the Veterans golf course in Quezon City, the Villamor golf course in Pasay City, the Wack Wack golf course in Mandaluyong City, and the Intramuros golf course in Manila.

Oplan Metro Yakal is composed of the 6,000 MMDA personnel who were trained as rescue volunteers under Task Force Rainbow, along with 1,000 volunteers from various barangays and associations of fire brigades and civic organizations.

Under the contingency plan, all MMDA rescuers shall report to their designated sectors in the earliest possible time in the event of an earthquake to prepare the evacuation sites.

Tolentino earlier called on the local government units in Metro Manila to hold earthquake drills after a 5.7-magnitude quake jolted parts of Luzon last week.

Tolentino said earthquake drills and disaster management trainings should be done regularly by government offices, local government units, and private organizations to refresh the public’s awareness and know-how about what to do during and after an earthquake.

Tolentino serves as the chairman of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (MMDRRMC).

"It is also time for us and the LGUs to conduct an inventory of our resources such as rescue personnel and equipment to improve our readiness,” Tolentino said.