CL COPS MOUNT SWIFT, COORDINATED RESPONSE AMID ‘UWAN’

BY KEVIN GALANG

AS Super Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong) continues to batter Central Luzon with heavy rains and strong winds, the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio I. Peñones Jr. has intensified road-clearing, evacuation, and monitoring operations across the region, particularly in Aurora province, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

On Sunday, personnel of the Aurora 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (APMFC) yesterday responded to an emergency in Bgy. Zabali, Baler, where a resident fell from his roof while making repairs in preparation for the approaching typhoon. 

Policemen immediately rescued the victim and provided first aid before turning him over for medical treatment.

In Bataan and Nueva Ecija, police personnel also carried out rescue and evacuation efforts, assisting families in flood-prone and coastal areas to move safely to designated evacuation centers. 

The operations were conducted in close coordination with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMOs) and local government units (LGUs) to ensure safe and organized evacuations.

Peñones personally supervised the ongoing disaster response from the Regional Tactical Operations Center (RTOC) at Camp Captain Julian Olivas in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga which continues to oversee and coordinate synchronized operations among all Provincial and City Police Offices in Central Luzon.

Based on the latest report, nearly 400 PNP personnel have been deployed across the region, supported by more than 1,200 members of the Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF).

According to Peñones, the teams are actively engaged in rescue, evacuation, and road-clearing missions in partnership with local disaster response units.

A total of 800 evacuation centers have been established across Central Luzon, 48 of which are currently occupied, sheltering 1,585 families or 5,284 individuals displaced by flooding, landslides, and coastal surges.

“Our preparedness today defines our ability to protect our people when it matters most. Through coordination, vigilance, and compassion, we ensure that Central Luzon remains resilient in the face of adversity,” said Peñones.

He said PRO3 remains on heightened alert, maintaining 24/7 monitoring and rapid deployment capabilities as part of its proactive disaster-response operations.