MMDA team’s water purifying drive a life saver for Nepal folk

The seven-man Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) humanitarian team sent to Nepal primarily to extend retrieval and medical assistance to victims of a 7.9 magnitude earthquake has likewise provided a much sought after, life saving commodity to the people – water.

Corazon Jimenez, MMDA general manager, said the team members, headed by agency official Ramon Santiago, helped restore water supply facilities in affected communities.

"The team brought along with them water filtering system, which is solar powered, so there is no need for electricity for it to operate," said Jimenez.

Santiago said the team has so far purified 1,400 liters of water for use of the Ramechap District Hospital.

They team also had the chance to share to Nepalese doctors how disaster response is being done in the country.

"The Philippine-MMDA Humanitarian Assistance team has moved to Dadhuwa, Ramechhap to conduct medical assistance to people in the village as part of the task allocated by Nepal's Ministry of Health," said Santiago.

The team were armed with gadgets and equipment, including rescue camera, tent, extractor, life locator, rescue tools, helmet, ropes, cutting tools, and a portable generator.

They also helped in retrieving supplies and equipment in a severely damaged hospital facility, said Santiago.

The seven-man team is comprised of well-trained rescuers who were deployed to help in the rescue and retrieval operations in Bohol and La Libertad, Negros Oriental which were also hit by earthquakes in 2013.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, earlier, said the MMDA’s move is not just a mere humanitarian act for the victims, but also to reciprocate what the international community did for the Philippines after the devastating typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit the country in 2013.

“This is our way of showing our gratitude to the global community for helping us Filipinos in the aftermath of super-typhoon Yolanda, particularly in Leyte and Eastern Samar. We need to show solidarity with the international community. After all, we are a one world family. We need to act in unison during times of disasters.”

Apart from giving assistance, Tolentino said the team can help fine-tune “Oplan Metro Yakal” and conduct post-earthquake studies to aid Metro Manila in case an earthquake of similar magnitude occurs.