MMDA rescuers on red alert for ‘Ruby’

All 600 emergency and relief operations personnel of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are on standby for deployment as the agency went on red alert on Sunday in preparation for Typhoon “Ruby” which is expected to make its presence felt in the metropolis on Monday.

As of 5 p.m. Sunday, Metro Manila was under signal number 1 as the typhoon which was packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph was located in the vicinity of Aroroy, Masbate, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The Pagasa forecast said that on Monday afternoon, Ruby would be making its closest approach to Metro Manila as it would be located 60 kilometers east of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro or 160 km south of the Science Garden in Quezon City.

As a precaution, classes in all levels in all schools throughout the metropolis are suspended on Monday.

Earlier on Sunday, MMDA Assistant General Manager Emerson Carlos said that the agency was on blue alert which meant that only 60 percent of the MMDA’s workforce were on standby for immediate emergency response. The alert status was upgraded to red in the afternoon.

According to MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino, their rescue units were ready for deployment, especially to areas prone to landslides and flooding.

Tolentino said that they would use the “Oplan Metro Yakal” response strategy used at the height of Typhoon “Glenda” and the monsoon season.

Under this strategy, Metro Manila was divided into four quadrants with a response team assigned to each area to prevent the multiple dispatch of rescuers.

The north quadrant was composed of Caloocan, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, San Juan and Mandaluyong.

Manila and Malabon made up the west quadrant while the south quadrant, on the other hand, was composed of Makati, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Taguig, Pasay, Muntinlupa and Pateros. Marikina and Pasig cities comprised the east quadrant.

As Pagasa warned that Ruby would bring heavy to intense rains to the metropolis, the MMDA Flood Control Information Center identified on Sunday flood-prone roadways which may hamper search, rescue and relief operations in nearby areas.

These were Taft, Magallanes Tunnel, Estrella, Reliance, Julia Vargas, Santolan, Ortigas, Balintawak Market, Balintawak-North Luzon Expressway and Monumento.

Also mentioned were Eagle Tiendesitas, BCDA, Bayani Road, R. Papa, Rizal Avenue, Sucat Road, C5 Extension, Gil Puyat Avenue, Chino Roces Avenue, Macapagal Boulevard, España Boulevard, Pureza-Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard and P. Burgos, E. Rodriguez, Araneta and Katipunan Avenues.

MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office head Maxima Quiambao assured the public that the agency’s pumping stations especially those on San Juan, Libertad and Tripa de Gallina would be operational 24/7 until Wednesday.

“We have already deployed a total of 162 personnel to flood-prone areas,” Quiambao added.