Cagayan Valley, Bicol regions sending rescue teams to Metro Manila–officials

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Help from Cagayan Valley and Bicol regions is on its way to flood-stricken areas of Metro Manila, two government agency heads said early Wednesday.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino reiterated Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo’s announcement Wednesday that rescue teams from outside the metropolis were on their way to assist the MMDA, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Red Cross in their rescue efforts.

Tolentino said over a television interview that aside from 800 personnel from the MMDA who were deployed since Tuesday to various areas to help stranded citizens, they were waiting to coordinate with other teams outside Manila to better synchronize their rescue efforts.

He said the MMDA was the focal point of all rescue activities and was busy coordinating with other agencies tasked to send help to affected individuals.

He said that areas near the San Juan River remained impassable but assured those stuck on their roofs in the area that rescue operations were underway.

Like Robredo, Tolentino warned those sending false calls for rescue to cease from spreading such messages, especially over social networking sites like Twitter where it can send people into panic.

He said that rescuers’ time was wasted in prank calls for help in areas where they were not needed.