Around 120 employees of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) went on a “mercy mission” Monday to flood-stricken towns in the provinces of Rizal and Bulacan—areas outside the agency’s jurisdiction.
Armed with broomsticks and rakes, the MMDA personnel left the agency’s headquarters at 9:30 a.m. to conduct cleanup operations in Cainta, Rizal and Calumpit, Bulacan.
“We took advantage of the holiday to lend a hand to towns severely hit by the floods brought by the monsoon rains,” MMDA assistant general manager for operations Emerson Carlos told the Inquirer.
They equally divided the group, mostly composed of members of the MMDA clearing units tasked to dismantle billboards, into two.
They were expected to be deployed the whole day to the two towns to help clear the roads and waterways of garbage left behind by floodwaters.
“The MMDA responded to the local government units’ request since we are almost done [with] the cleanup drive in Metro Manila,” Carlos said.
He added that 85 percent of the work in the metropolis had been completed, with the clearing operations now focused on secondary roads and waterways.