By Pearl Gumapos
About 1,000 police personnel are currently being deployed to assist in relief operations for people displaced by the harsh weather conditions in Cordillera, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA.
PNP Chief Police Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar has mobilized national and regional PNP units capable of disaster response to closely coordinate with local Disaster Risk Reduction Management officials for the deployment of PNP personnel and resources to areas that have been affected by landslides, infrastructure damage, and flooding caused by the heavy monsoon rains brought about by Tropical Cyclone Fabian.
Eleazar disclosed reports reaching the PNP Command Center at around 6:00 a.m. on Saturday regarding the deployment of 1,064 police personnel in 132 evacuation centers across Luzon.
Said evacuation centers are now providing temporary shelter to 1,755 families or 5,858 individuals.
Meanwhile, Eleazar also alerted the PNP Battle Staff to assemble PNP Food Bank resources to increase national and local government support to the evacuees.
Field reports also showed that one person died and another was injured by a fallen tree in Camp 8, Baguio City.
Across Luzon, 33 passengers and 140 vehicles were stranded in seaports in MIMAROPA where sea travel has been suspended due to rough seas.
Some 64 roads were deemed impassable in Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, CALABARZON, and Cordillera due to landslides of floods, while 57 areas experienced power outages.
Eleazar also directed the PNP Highway Patrol Group to assist motorists along national highways, in particular, cargo vehicles transporting food products, in navigating across detour routes in order to avoid road hazards.
Furthermore, 539 police search and rescue units were deployed in five Luzon regions where emergency situations have been reported.
There are 6,366 search and rescue personnel on standby and 2,129 Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) who are awaiting orders to be deployed in distressed communities, particularly in 85 flooded areas in Regions 1, 3, 4B, NCR and COR.
Said units have been equipped with 1,585 vehicles, 90 inflatable boats, 2868 life vests, 1,037 radio sets, and 292 power generator sets.
Eleazar also instructed local PNP units to initiate road clearing operations for debris and hazard in order to allow passage of emergency response vehicles, relief supplies, and commercial cargo. –rir