Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director of the police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG), ordered on Friday the inspection of barriers and billboards along EDSA and other roads and highways in order to ensure public safety amid the threat of typhoon ‘Rolly’.
Tagum said he issued the order to the HPG commanders in Bicol, Central Luzon, and Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and the National Capital Region, the areas which are on the path of the strong typhoon.
“In Metro Manila, I also ordered the inspection of barriers along EDSA that can be swept by the expected high winds and floods,” said Tagum.
He said coordination was already made with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for use of heavy equipment in case of road clearing operations.
Tagum said that aside from Metro Manila, he ordered his men in areas that would be affected by the weather disturbance to secure the parking of all vehicles and other equipment from the PNP which were prepositioned for post-typhoon response. The order, he said, is to ensure that the equipment would not be damaged in case of flooding.
“I also ordered the commanders to coordinate with the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) for the possible assistance in directing bus operators and sea vessel operators to cease operations due to the ‘No Sail Notice from Philippine Coast Guard for RoRo vessels’,” he said.
Tagum said that they would also convert their 24/7 Operations Center into ‘Monitoring Center Rolly’.
He said the HPG is also ready to deploy motorcycles as convoy marshals for search and rescue contingent within Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Bicol Region and CALABARZON.
‘Rolly’ is expected to make a landfall between Aurora and Quezon either on Sunday night or early morning of Monday.