Quezon City braces for rainy season woes

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MANILA — In preparation for the rainy season, the Quezon City government on Saturday started prepositioning the city’s disaster preparedness programs to provide a more proactive response in times of calamities, especially during typhoons and flooding.

Mayor Herbert Bautista assured that Quezon City is ready to provide the necessary emergency response services with the city having undertaken the needed preparations for disaster risk mitigation and management as part of its continuing effort to strengthen its disaster response capability.

He made the assurance shortly before he left for Israel to attend a four-day Mayors’ Conference in Tel Aviv.

To date, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, who has been designated as acting mayor, has already coordinated with city disaster risk reduction management council action officer Elmo San Diego, to oversee the city’s preparedness and response program.

“So far, the city’s emergency system is already in place, including our disaster protocols,” San Diego said.

San Diego cited that he is scheduled to meet officials of the city’s 142 barangays to oversee their preparations and responses during emergency situations.

San Diego added that flood-prone areas in the city, especially those located in San Juan River, Tullahan and Marikina rivers are being closely monitored.

He assured that barangay officials from these communities have already undertook disaster preparedness trainings and seminars to enhance their capabilities to carry out search and rescue operations.

The city’s disaster preparedness program also covers the relocation of informal settler families along the different waterways in Quezon City.

From 2010 to April 24, 2014, about 5,573 ISFs living along the waterways have been provided relocation to several National Housing Authority resettlement sites in Bulacan and in Rodriguez, Rizal.

In addition, automatic water level sensors, rain gauges and water markers have also been installed for monitoring water levels in critical areas.

Early warning systems as well as pontoon or floating piers, are also set up in flood-prone areas, including Barangays Doña Imelda, Tatalon and Talayan.

The city’s task force waterways has also stepped up the declogging of waterways, such as rivers, creeks and major canals, to minimize flooding, especially during heavy downpour.

Improvement of drainage channels is also being undertaken to ensure a free flow of drainage water as well as rain water.