Police Major Nolan Tagsip, Public Information Officer of the CPPO. | Emmariel Ares
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu Police Provincial Office (CCPO) said it is ready to provide assistance to the victims of floodsa and other related incidents in Cebu.
Since Monday, September 11, 2023, heavy rainfall has been pestering Cebu and caused floods in many areas in Cebu City and Mandaue City.
In the past three days, many individuals were forced to evacuate temporarily from their homes and rescued by emergency personnel due to the flood in their areas.
With this recent situation, Police Major Nolan Tagsip, Public Information Officer of the CPPO, told reporters on Thursday, September 14, that they are more than ready to conduct search and rescue operations if necessary.
“I would like to inform everyone na handa ang atong kapulisan diri sa probinsya,” he said.
Tagsip assured the public that their police personnel were trained well to handle rescue operations.
“We assure the public that your PNP is always ready to serve you or to assist in these imminent weather times. We will move heaven and earth para ma-implement nato ang atoang emergency preparedness,” he stated.
Tagsip added that since Monday, they have been given orders to activate their search and rescue teams for any possible situation.
“Since the other day since we have inclement weather, our office in charge instructed us down the line…to activate our search and rescue team,” he said.
In Cebu province, every police station has one team of search, rescue, and retrieval in charge of responding to disasters and providing the necessary help, according to Tagsip.
“Kaning atoang search and rescue and retrieval team, gi-train jud ni silag pila kabulan sa atong urban search and rescue team, water search and rescue. Especially in ani nga naay mga kalamidad (aron nga time),” he stated.
READ: Thousands flee floods in Northern Luzon, Western Visayas
He also said that they have the necessary equipment to conduct this kind of operation such as the PNP blue box containing a first aid kit, lifefloat ring, life vest, medicine kit, stretcher, and hard cap.
According to Tagsip, the respective police stations in Cebu province also conducted preventive patrolling in flood-prone places in their areas on Wednesday, September 13.
The flood problem due to the recent heavy rainfall was especially felt in Mandaue City in the past three days.
Areas in the city such as along Lopez Jaena Street in Barangay Tipolo, Cabancalan, Pagsabungan, and Ibabao-Estancia were submerged in flood water some as high as neck deep.
The downpour on Wednesday noon also resulted in flooding along A.S Fortuna Street in Barangay Banilad.
Tagsip said that while they are waiting for the instruction from the higher-ups, they are prepared to provide reinforcement for Mandaue City in their search and rescue operations if necessary.
“Any time nga mangayo og reinforcement ang Mandaue City in terms of personnel, in terms of logistics, we are always ready nga mag-alalay sa ilaha,” he stated.
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