Police in Central Luzon test disaster gear as Opong nears

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) launched rigorous inspections of disaster response equipment — from rescue boats to radios — across Central Luzon on Thursday, aiming to plug gaps exposed during earlier storms as Severe Tropical Storm Opong barrels toward the region.

PRO3 Director PBGen. Ponce Peñones Jr. identified high-risk zones, including flood-prone coastal villages in Pampanga and landslide-threatened communities in Aurora, as priorities for action.

“We’re intensifying coordination with local disaster councils to streamline evacuation routes and pre-position rescue assets, ensuring a faster, more effective response," Peñones said.

The crackdown includes real-time coordination with local councils to deploy amphibious vehicles near critical chokepoints such as San Luis’s narrow bridges, and to stockpile emergency kits in isolated areas.

Peñones stressed, “Every life jacket and radio must work. Typhoons demand precision, not goodwill.”

Central Luzon, battered by five major storms since January, faces escalating climate risks. PRO3’s “zero tolerance” stance on faulty gear follows 2024 disaster agency reports showing that 40 percent of households lack emergency kits—a vulnerability magnified by frequent flooding and landslides.

All 214 police stations remain on 24/7 alert, with drones and amphibious vehicles pre-deployed to flood-prone zones, including Pampanga’s coastal villages and Aurora’s mountain corridors.

Authorities also urged residents to report malfunctioning rescue equipment via hotlines, underscoring that community vigilance is critical to disaster readiness.