Tag: flood

News, tweets

(2:50pm Updated) Command posts. Rescue. Rubber boats & trucks needed. There are enough valiant & brave rescue personnel, not enough safe transport.

(Updated 2:50pm). Command posts. Rescue. Rubber boats & trucks needed. There are enough valiant and brave rescue personnel, not enough safe transport. 

Update 2:50pm (from inquirer.net). You may get in touch with the “rescue command post” nearest you, if you or anyone you know, need/ needs assistance. See list below:  

“MANILA, Philippines—The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has set up six advanced command posts across Metro Manila to expedite the rescue operations in affected areas.

 “These are:

 “1. MMDA Edsa Timog Base

Commander Ryan Castaneda 0947-8193135 and 0932-8447413

AOR: Whole QC

 “2. MMDA Aurora Katipunan Base

Commander: Eduard Gonzales 0917-5875458

AOR: Pasig, Marikina

 “3. Malabon City Hall

Commander: Ed Avan 09065129676

AOR; Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela

 “4. South Base

ACP: MMDA Base Alabang Viaduct near Metropolis

Commander: Dir. Alex Umagat 0918-9486017

AOR: Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Las Pinas

 “5. Gwapotel, Roxas Boulevard (near DPWH bldg)

Commander: Dir. Amante Salvador 09228102355

AOR: Manila

 “6. Central base at thge MMDA Flood Control Information Center

Commander; Dir. Lydia Domingo 09163975798

AOR: San Juan, Pasay, Taguig, Pateros, Mandaluyong, Makati

Rescue operations on-going. Government does not have enough equipment. Corporations, organizations, construction companies, that have six-by-six trucks, rubber boats, etc., are being asked to lend their  equipment to the NDRRMC. Lives can still be saved.

[Actually, in a life-and-death  emergency,  of  apocalyptic  proportions, e.g., if there were an Ondoy-like flooding,  if thousands were being swept by strong currents,  and would certainly drown or would be buried alive if not rescued, the government, upon just compensation to the parties concerned, could legally use the nearest private resources if it were the only way to save those lives… but only in those dire circumstances. That situation is not upon us and hopefully will never be. There is time. Voluntary assistance can save the day —  and, in the long-term, having enough comfortable and habitable evacuation centers with provisions and toilets for preemptive evacuation, enough rescue equipment,  trained personnel, and a disaster-prepared populace.]

    To be fair, PAGASA (the weather bureau), local government units, and media organizations, gave us a three-to-four hour heads-up. GMA News announced the red warning a few minutes after the PAGASA tweet, ABS-CBN cast the widest net of field reporters 24 hours ago and had a non-stop coverage since then. Good job by these organizations. 

      We learned.

(Preemptive evacuation, a little better than those of previous floodings; can still be improved with completion of the Noah Project and construction of  more habitable evacuation centers. Rescue operations — another matter. Strategic, long-term relocation, another matter.) 

 

News, The News Media, tweets

“Typhoon Ferdie” & “is it the end of the world?”

copy-pasted from the official Twitter account of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), a government agency in charge of traffic regulation in the god-forsaken eternally traffic-jammed streets of Metro Manila, storified by InterAksyon.com (the blog followed the link from that story):

     Because of the incessant rains yesterday, a follower of the Twitter account of MMDA asked the authorities:

      “Is it the end of the world?”

          A related story from the news site (InterAksyon.com) said that the flurry of tweets yesterday showed netizens expressing worry or fear of another Ondoy or massive floods occurring yesterday because of the non-stop pitter-patter of rains. It was just a pitter-patter and not a slosh-gush for hours,  but people were afraid again. i’m no expert on social psychology, but someone should do a study – —  i think all of us have a collective Ondoy slight “post traumatic stress syndrome” , it’s like we’re all war survivors,  lived  through the same nightmare, some more than others, and are constantly reliving it everytime there are hard rains.

       Here’s how the MMDA calmed down the twitter-follower:

Good morning @MMDA. Any flood updates in España, Manila?

@lesterlintao we don’t have monitoring on that area. It’s under the local authorities, you may call Manila Traffic Hotline 527-3087.

 4:52 PM – 20 Jul 12 via TweetDeck · Details

20 JulOfficial MMDAOfficial MMDA ‏@MMDA

ADVISORY: Kindly read our time line for more info regarding on flood updates. Thank you. #mmda

@MMDA sta ana going to gil puyat passable po ba?

20 JulOfficial MMDAOfficial MMDA ‏@MMDA

@gwapolo we don’t have monitoring on that area. It’s under the local authorities, you may call Manila Traffic Hotline 527-3087.

4:52 PM – 20 Jul 12 via TweetDeck · Details

20 JulYasser BanaoYasser Banao ‏@yasserkb

@MMDA Katapusan na ba ng mundo?

@yasserkb no one knows sir. Pero sure po ako malapit na ang katapusan ng bwuan 🙂

4:51 PM – 20 Jul 12 via TweetDeck · Details

ADVISORY: Kindly read our time line for more info regarding on flood updates. Thank you. #mmda

@MMDA good am po, may monitoring po ba ku kung saan na mga flooded areas sa Manila?

20 JulOfficial MMDAOfficial MMDA ‏@MMDA

@JohnsonManabat we don’t have monitoring on that area. It’s under the local authorities, you may call Manila Traffic Hotline 527-3087.

 

4:51 PM – 20 Jul 12 via TweetDeck · Details

20 JulOfficial MMDAOfficial MMDA ‏@MMDA

@CrackerJackNM we don’t have monitoring on that area. It’s under the local authorities, you may call Manila Traffic Hotline 527-3087.

xxx    xxx   xxx    

translation: 

 To the MMDA: “Katapusan na ba ng mundo?” ( “Is it the end of the world?”)

From the MMDA: “No one knows, sir. Pero sure po ako na malapit na ang katapusan ng bwuan (sic) “(“No one knows, sir. But we are sure that what is at hand is the end of the month 🙂  ”