Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday ordered its units in areas affected by the southwest monsoon, known locally as 'habagat', to remain on heightened alert and intensify preemptive evacuation efforts in flood- and landslide-prone communities. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr. urged local police units to be ready for search, rescue, retrieval, and evacuation operations while monitoring weather conditions and coordinating with local government units and other response agencies.
According to Philippines News Agency, Gen. Nartatez emphasized the importance of these measures in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive for government agencies to be on heightened alert and take preventive steps to protect communities and critical infrastructure amid ongoing monsoon effects. The government is closely monitoring flood-prone areas, keeping an eye on rising water levels in dams and reservoirs as the rains persist. Coordination on water releases and preventive measures is also a priority for concerned agencies.
The PNP chief stressed the importance of local police units actively assisting local governments with preemptive evacuations, particularly in areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. "We must act early, provide timely warnings, and help prevent loss of life rather than wait for the situation to worsen," he stated.
The PNP has already activated its Subcommittee on Natural Disaster under the Directorate for Police Community Relations to keep track of the situation through the PNP Command Center. Approximately 800 PNP personnel have been deployed to several affected regions, with around 10,000 reserve personnel on standby for search, rescue, and retrieval operations.
In a related incident, Gen. Nartatez commended the rapid response of Baguio City police officers who assisted in transporting a mother and her newborn son to a hospital amid torrential rains and flooding last week. The Baguio City Police Office reported that the incident occurred on Aug. 4, when the woman's husband sought help from Camdas Police Station 2, reporting that his wife was in active labor at their home.
Police officers S/Sgt. Melanio Agmeyeng and Cpl. Joshua Sobangui quickly coordinated with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and proceeded to the residence. By the time they arrived, the mother had already delivered a baby boy with the help of a family member. EMS personnel conducted an initial medical assessment and worked with police officers to safely transport the mother and newborn to Baguio General Hospital for further evaluation. Both were found to be in stable condition.
Baguio City has been facing heavy rains and flooding since last week due to the enhanced southwest monsoon and Tropical Depression Maymay, complicating emergency response efforts.
