Navotas mayor activates local disaster council

MANILA, Philippines - The city government of Navotas activated yesterday its local disaster coordinating council in preparation of possible flooding after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) declared the start of rainy season.

Outgoing Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco, now congressman-elect has instructed the members of the Navotas Disaster Coordinating Council to immediately activate its special units that would respond to any emergency in view of the onset of the rainy season.

Tiangco, the local NDCC chairman, said that emergency groups are on alert 24-hours a day, especially in the event of a heavy downpour of rain.

The mayor also directed the disaster council to convene the Navotas Joint Rescue Team headed by mayor-elect John Rey Tiangco (JRT adviser), an association composed of all fire and rescue volunteers, barangay disaster volunteers and first aid volunteers and personnel.

Likewise, Tiangco instructed the Flood Control Monitoring Team of the City Engineering Office to see to it that all 22 Bombastik pumping stations are operational and ensure that all drainage systems are functional. The City Social Welfare and Development Office personnel shall be on alert for possible relief operations

Tiangco said that although they are expecting improvements in the city’s flood situation, there could be some problems because of the indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the streets. Even the smallest piece of garbage could clog the drainage inlets and prevent floodwaters from flowing down the drainage and canals, he said.

 “Once you throw garbage on the street, it has nowhere else to go but the drain. If that happens, the effectiveness of our pumping stations will be lessened. That’s why I’m appealing to my fellow Navoteños to do their part by properly disposing of their garbage,” Tiangco told The STAR.