Pasig City is under the “red alert” status, said Mayor Vico Sotto as the local government activated its Incident Management Team (IMT) in preparation for the onslaught and aftermath of severe tropical storm (STS) “Paeng” on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The IMT held their operational period briefing at 8:30 a.m., led by incident commander Ronald Galicia, and attended by members of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) and other affiliated groups.
Sotto shared in a social media post some of the briefing’s findings.
Pumping stations in the city are operational, he said, and community kitchens in evacuation centers have been activated.
Personnel from the City Health Department and Barangay Health Centers were also deployed at the evacuation centers to provide medical assistance such as rapid antigen tests for those exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms, and distributing medicines and face masks.
Declogging in problem areas including Pasig Boulevard were also conducted.
Around 14 evacuation sites in 10 barangays were prepped and opened on Saturday morning. The sites are as follows:
- Barangay Bagong Ilog – Bagong Ilog Elementary School
- Barangay Caniogan – Kalinangan Covered Court
- Barangay Manggahan – Manggahan Multipurpose Hall
- Barangay Maybunga – Maybunga Elementary School Annex; Stella Maris Covered Court
- Barangay Oranbo – Oranbo Elementary School
- Barangay Rosario – Rosario Elementary School; Blue Grass Multipurpose Hall
- Barangay Santolan – Santolan Elementary School; Ilaya Covered Court; Santolan High School
- Barangay Sta. Lucia – Sta. Lucia Bliss Multipurpose Hall
- Barangay Sta. Rosa – 3/F Barangay Hall
- Barangay Ugong – Multipurpose Covered Court
As of 5:30 p.m. the Catalina Covered Court was opened to evacuees in Barangay Palatiw, as well as the San Joaquin Elementary School in Barangay San Joaquin, and the Barangay Hall in Barangay Sumilang.
The evacuation sites at the Ismar Covered Court and Multipurpose Hall near the Barangay Hall in Barangay Kalawaan were also opened in the evening, as well as Damayan Covered Court in Barangay Pinagbuhatan.
Around 64 families or 269 individuals were recorded at the 19 open evacuation centers as of 6 p.m.
By 9 p.m. the number of evacuees in 12 of the city's evacuation centers have grown to 431 families or 1,521 individuals.
The local government urged residents in areas most affected by the storm to seek shelter immediately, and to follow pre-emptive or forced evacuation orders if declared by their respective barangay officials.
Metro Manila is placed under the Tropical Cyclone Signal Warning (TCSW) No. 3 by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
“As per latest forecasts strongest rains & winds may come late afternoon to evening, Saturday, Oct. 29 (here in Pasig),” Sotto said.
The Pasig City Cemetery (Barracks) was also closed on Saturday to ensure public safety.