Baguio City - Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.has found relief as chair of the city disaster coordinating council after donors converted their cash support into shovels, axes and other much-needed rescue tools as Baguio and the rest Northern Luzon prepared Friday for typhoon Ramil.
The mayor Wednesday inspected the tools, some of which city administrator and CDCC action officer Peter Fianza assigned to the 10 police precincts for faster distribution during rescue operations.
The mayor Monday met with city police director, Sr. Supt. Agrifino Javier and the precinct commanders to upgrade the capability of police officers in rescue work, in tandem CDCC personnel and other volunteers
The local chapter of the Association for Philippine-China Understanding headed by Tony Lee led the donors who upgraded the CDCC’s rescue tools and equipment.
E-power, a Manila-based power company, through Andy Payoyo and Jerry Isican, also handed over to the CDCC 25 shovels, 25 hard hats, 12 flashlights and six pieces nylon rope.
Other donors, among them lawyer Cesar Oracion, Dominador and Judith Reyes and an anonymous supporter along the Marcos Highway, added 18 shovels and spades, 12 sledge hammers, 12 fireman’s axes, two chainsaw blades and three rolls of nylon rope.
Earlier, the Bedi family of Camp John turned over 15 assorted flash lights, six pieces rope, a poncho and a headlamp.
Likewise, Philex Mines, which miners provided the backbone for rescue operations over the years, has responded to mayor Bautista’s appeal by producing more tools, including crowbars needed in making headway through landslide-hit structures.
Aside from coordinating the miners in rescue, the Mines and Geo-Sciences regional office has been stocking the CDCC with water purified with a gadget from the Philippine Mines Safety and Environment Association. .
Ifugao Province , which suffered minor damages from typhoon Pepeng, has also delivered, through Gov. Teodoro Baguilat, eight sacks of squash, 432 plates, 5,000 spoons, 35 casserole, 26 frying pans, three sacks of mungbeans and a box of soap.
Fianza explained some of the donated tools will remain at the CDCC base at city hall where volunteers started reported Friday in time for typhoon Ramil’s expected landfall,.
The mayor again called on residents in flood and landslide prone areas to move to higher and safer grounds as the weather bureau expected typhoon Ramil, with maximum winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 230 kph, to be stronger than the last two to hit the country. . – Ramon Dacawi.
