'Missing' MMDA enforcers face ax

MANILA, Philippines – Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino said yesterday he will ax traffic enforcers who disappeared from their posts at the height of Monday afternoon’s heavy downpour.

The almost two-hour downpour caused the San Juan River to overflow, flooding major roads in Quezon City and triggering a monstrous traffic jam that reached EDSA and Roxas Boulevard.

In an interview over dzRH, Tolentino said the recorded rainfall volume during the downpour was about 53 millimeters, which he said was already above average and enough to cause the San Juan River to overflow.

Araneta Avenue, E. Rodriguez Avenue and Banawe street were immediately flooded, causing traffic to crawl, creating a gridlock that reached EDSA and Roxas Boulevard.

Tolentino said Metrobase, the MMDA’s operations hub, was swamped with telephone calls from irate motorists complaining of missing MMDA traffic enforcers during the downpour.

He admitted that the missing MMDA enforcers, flooded streets and malfunctioning traffic lights all contributed to the traffic gridlock.

“If the reports are verified as true after investigation, we will be relieving some personnel. We will not stop from removing people who will not be performing their duties,” he said.

According to Tolentino, MMDA traffic enforcers are expected to man traffic flow even during a downpour as this is the time most traffic lights start to malfunction. He added that there is no reason for traffic enforcers not to perform their tasks as they are provided foul weather gear by the agency.

Tolentino said an investigation into the reports of “missing” MMDA traffic enforcers has already started.

Meanwhile, Tolentino said the MMDA is now looking at installing more flood drainage inlets along EDSA to avert further flooding. According to Tolentino, additional inlets may be made at the vicinity of the SM Megamall in the Ortigas Center, which he said is a flood-prone area.

According to engineer Max Peralta, assistant weather services chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Monday afternoon’s downpour was enough to flood streets in the metropolis.

He said the volume of rainfall was placed at about 25 mm per hour, which he described as “unusual.”

Peralta also said Metro Manila could experience a repeat of last Monday’s downpour as there is a thick cloud cover over the metropolis.