MANGALDAN, Pangasinan — Five business establishments in this town have agreed to lend their dump trucks to the local government unit (LGU) to be used as rescue vehicles in times of calamities or disasters.
Rodolfo Corla, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), in an interview Thursday said the LGU and five firms signed a memorandum of agreement two months ago in preparation for the ‘typhoon months’ in the country.
Corla lauded the business establishments for their commitment since the town needs more rescue vehicles, especially with the impending onslaught of potential super typhoon ‘Ompong’ which is expected to hit the province in the coming days.
“Twelve to 18 of our 30 barangays are prone to flooding whenever the Angalacan River overflows. Although we have rescue vehicles and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office provides us with two dump trucks during calamities, we wanted to be sure and ready for the said super typhoon,” he explained.
Corla said businesses who signed the MOA will voluntarily lend dump trucks to the LGU during calamities when the need arises.
“It doesn’t matter how many dump trucks they will loan to us, and these are on-call at the moment since they might still be using these vehicles for their businesses. But when rescue requires such, then they will voluntarily lend it to us,” he said.
Meanwhile, Corla advised his town mates, especially those that are in low-lying barangays, to take preemptive measures in case ‘Ompong’ affects the town. Hilda Austria/PNA-northboundasia.com