MMDA to deploy personnel for Labor Day celebration

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be deploying 525 personnel to man traffic along the streets of Metro Manila and for crowd control operations Wednesday as the country marks Labor Day.

MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Emerson Carlos said most of the personnel will be deployed at the identified points in the Metro where protesters are expected to converge and gather such as at the Welcome Rotonda, Stop and Shop in Sta. Mesa, Taft Avenue, Blumentritt, Tondo, and in Alabang.

Carlos said the agency’s Traffic Discipline Office (TDO) will also deploy personnel to aid in crowd control operations along points where the protesters are expected to pass.

The MMDA, said Carlos, will monitor Liwasang Bonifacio, Mendiola, Taft Avenue, Tondo, Welcome Rotonda, Sta. Mesa, Buendia and Alabang.

Meanwhile, the MMDA’s Civil Disturbance Unit or “Task Force Kalasag” will place 300 of its personnel on standby at the agency;’s office in Makati for rapid deployment in support of the Philippine National Police (PNP) should there be need for crowd control.

“Rescue units will also be deployed specifically on the roads of Mendiola, Legarda, and Rotonda,” Carlos said.

Carlos said  members of the MMDA’s crowd control unit will observe maximum tolerance should there be clashes with protesters.  - with Trish Lameyra