Cortes: Mandaue substations to reduce response time

Center has an ambulance, a firetruck and radio communication system

The second Bantay Mandaue substation was inaugurated last Friday by the Mandaue City government and the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf).

Mayor Jonas Cortes said during the ceremony that three more substations will be built before his term ends to reduce the response time during emergencies, such as vehicular accident, fire and flood.

The substation started operating immediately after the inauguration. It will be manned by Eruf personnel and barangay disaster responders.

The substation has an ambulance, a firetruck and radio communication system.

Mandaue’s 27 barangays are divided into five clusters: Mahiga, Kabukiran, Kadagatan, Butuanon and Centro.

The new substation in Subangdaku will serve the Mahiga cluster. The other substation in barangay Basak was inaugurated last Sept. 13 to serve the Kabukiran cluster. The Bantay Mandaue Command Center located beside the City hall was also inaugurated on the same day.

The command center will operate 24/7, monitor close circuit television (CCTV) cameras on traffic lights and respond to emergency calls.

Subangdaku barangay captain Ernie Manatad said the substation is a great help since their barangay is prone to flooding, especially during heavy rains and typhoons when Mahiga Creek overflows.

With the communication system in place, Manatad said they can now respond to emergencies quickly.

Manatad, however, said the substation is temporarily occupying a room owned by the national government since the two-story building for the substation is still to be constructed by the barangay near the North Bus Terminal.

ERUF chairman Dr. Pek Eng Lim said the substation in Basak has already brought at least 80 patients to the hospitals. /REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS