ON orders of Mayor Herbert Bautista, Quezon City is ready to respond to any emergencies this rainy season.
Karl Michael Marasigan, the city’s disaster risk reduction management chief, said the city’s quick response team is always ready to be deployed in cases of emergency.
The team has been placed on constant yellow or standby alert right after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s declaration of the rainy season on May 30, Marasigan said.
He said rescue boats have been prepositioned in several flood-prone areas in case residents need to be evacuated from their houses due to flooding.
The disaster risk reduction management chief convened an emergency meeting of its technical working group to assess the city government’s state of preparedness owing to heavy rains that occur nearly each day.
Daisy Ortega, Pagasa senior weather specialist, took part in the meeting and advised the city government that the probability of tropical cyclones occurring this year was high.
Representatives of member agencies of the technical working group presented their respective plans in the event of flood, controlling disease outbreaks, and heavy traffic brought about by heavy rainfall.
The Social Services Development Department has also prepared a stockpile of goods for at least 100 families, Marasigan said.
The city’s engineering teams have been declogging waterways to improve drainage and make floodwaters subside faster, while the Parks Department and the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department have been trimming trees to prevent falling debris.
Assistant City Engineer Robert L. Beltran said engineering teams have been declogging waterways to improve drainage and make floodwaters subside faster, while the Parks Department and the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department have been trimming trees to prevent falling debris especially during stormy weather.