Marikina asks for more high-powered rubber boats for rescues, medicines for evacuees

Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro on Wednesday called on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other private entities to lend the city high-powered rubber boats for rescuing stranded residents amid the massive flooding due to Carina, which has reached super typhoon status.

“I would like to take this chance to call on the Philippine Coast Guard and other rescue groups, kailangan namin ng mas maraming bangkang magagamit, lalo na iyong high powered [rubber boats] kasi malakas ang agos,” Teodoro told GMA Integrated News.

“May lima lang kami [na bangka]. Sa isang lugar, dapat pag nag rescue, hindi isang bangka lang. Dapat magkakabit, magkadikit iyong mga bangka para hindi anurin,” he added.

In addition, Teodoro said evacuees are in dire need of vitamins, medicines and doctors.

“As we speak, I am here in Farmers 1, lampas tao iyong tubig rito. Mayroon talagang mga naiwan na residente na bed ridden, tulong tulong, binabalikan namin,” he said.

“Marami na ang may karamdaman kaya kailangan namin ng volunteer doctors…mayroong may kailangan ng medical attention kasi napakalakas ng pag-ulan, basang-basa sila, ilang oras na sila nababad,” Teodoro added.

Teodoro said that water level in Marikina River already reached  at least 20.5 meters as of the moment, just shy of the 21.5 meters recorded during Typhoon Ulysses in 2020.

A state of calamity has been declared in the entire Metro Manila amid massive flooding. — Llanesca T. Panti/BM, GMA Integrated News