The Manila city government is on high alert as Typhoon Quinta brings heavy rains and strong winds to the capital city.
During the city government's weekly directorial meeting on Monday, Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso delegated tasks to the city engineering, social welfare and disaster risk reduction and management offices in preparation for the typhoon.
Domagoso ordered the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and the Department of Public Services (DPS) to immediately declog sewers and clear garbage, particularly those in flood-prone areas to prevent flooding in the city's major thoroughfares and residential areas.
“Mag-declog lang tayo ng mag-declog ng mga imburnal, as many as possible. Ilabas natin ang lahat ng resources ng mga district engineers. Let’s just focus, para walang baha o maiwasan man lang natin (Let us just keep declogging sewers, as many as possible. Let us use all the district engineers' resources. Let's just focus so that we can prevent flooding)," he said.
The Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) was also placed on stand-by should evacuation of coastal areas become necessary.
The MDRRMO has set up an evacuation site at Rosauro Almario Elementary School in Tondo that can hold up to 50 families.
The Manila mayor also asked the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) to prepare hot meals, blankets, and other necessities for possible evacuees, particularly from Baseco and Isla Puting Bato.
"Repeat performance na lang ‘to (This is only a repeat performance),” Domagoso said. “Despite of uncertainty of data with regard to weather condition, nung nilatag natin yung resources natin, nakita natin yng readiness natin (when we laid out our resources, we saw our readiness)."
As of 11 a.m., the MDRRMO said no flooding incidents have been reported on major thoroughfares and inner roads in the city.