The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has placed all its officers across the country on “full alert status” or “code red” in response to the effects of the bad weather brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat), Tropical Storm Dante, and Tropical Depression Emong.
In a statement on Wednesday, the BFP said 35,517 personnel as well as 4,860 fire trucks, 314 ambulances, 87 rescue trucks, and 60 rubber and rigid boats were deployed to support ongoing emergency response operations as of 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
The BFP said nine individuals were still missing while three bodies were recovered and 251 individuals were rescued from the areas affected by the heavy rainfall. No further details were available about them.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (HPG) spokesperson Lt. Nadame Malang said 84 HPG cops have been deployed in Metro Manila to aid emergency response.
Malang said the PNP’s traffic unit had 22 mobility assets going around Metro Manila to assist people affected by the flooding.
“[Sila ay] umiikot sa ating major thoroughfares within NCR (National Capital Region) para tumulong sa ating mga kababayan. Naka-standby ang PNP HPG para sa assistance ng road clearing operations (They’re going around the major thoroughfares within the National Capital Region to help our citizens. The PNP Highway Patrol Group is on standby for assistance with road clearing operations.),” Malang told reporters in a chance interview at Camp Crame.
Earlier in the day, PNP chief information officer Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño said some 4,000 police officers have been tapped to assist local government units nationwide in the ongoing disaster response efforts in the affected communities.
On top of this, another 6,000 police personnel have been placed on standby across the country for possible deployment.
Tuaño also said PNP units have been helping in search and rescue operations, noting that as of Tuesday night, a total of 382 individuals have been rescued from floods.
State weather forecasters said both Emong and Dante are enhancing the southwest monsoon, which will bring strong to gale-force gusts across much of Luzon and the Visayas. (PNA)