By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco / Correspondent
WHEN the “big one” hits Metro Manila, traffic enforcers will not only be manning and supervising traffic: Some of them will do the job of an embalmer as well.
This was revealed by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis N. Tolentino following the signing of the memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Mortuary Association (PMA) on Monday.Tolentino said at least five MMDA traffic personnel will be trained by PMA as embalmers and will be subjected to accreditation by the Department of Health.
Under the agreement, the PMA will submit to the MMDA a list of funeral vehicles that they will be using in retrieval operations so that these could be exempted from the number coding scheme.
According to Tolentino, the services of morticians and funeral parlors are very crucial as they will be in charge of the management of the dead.
“We need to establish definite roles for every sector involved in disaster preparedness and management, as each and everyone should be ready to provide necessary services to the public in times of disaster,” Tolentino said.
The MMDA has been continuously meeting with local government units (LGUs) and concerned government agencies in preparation for the Metrowide earthquake drill.
Apart from LGUs, the MMDA also sought the participation of the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Bureau of Fire Protection.
For its part, the National Telecommunication Commission is in charge with the information dissemination by conducting text blast two hours before and two days before the drill.
In MMDA’s Oplan Metro Yakal, an area in Macapagal Boulevard has been designated as a mass burial site.
He explained that the agency will use some roads where cadavers will be temporary placed before they are brought to the mass burial site.
Oplan Metro Yakal is MMDA’s earthquake contingency plan that focuses on preparedness of government resources and that of private organizations during emergencies.