The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will soon install closed-circuit cameras at the different water pumping stations in the metropolis to monitor errant flood control personnel and to determine rise in water levels during heavy rains.

Engr. Baltazar Melgar, chief of the Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office, said the installation of the CCTV cameras was ordered by MMDAChairman Bayani Fernando to prevent the repeat of an incident when some of the personnel of a pumping station in Metro Manila were caught sleeping thus failed to monitor water level in their area.

“Flood control personnel with habit of sleeping on their jobs will have no chance to continue with their bad habit because they will be monitored by CCTVs to be installed in major pumping stations,” said Melgar, adding that the chairman is particular i n checking the working habits of MMDA personnel.

Earlier, several flood control personnel stationed in Sta. Mesa in Manila reportedly failed to operate the water pumps which caused major flooding in the area. The report said that they were sleeping on their jobs and failed to operate the huge pumps that should have lessened the tidewater and boosted recession of floodwater in low-lying areas of Manila.

Fernando believed that everybody should work according to what the public expects them to do and the CCTV camera has been effective in the MMDA videotaping to monitor traffic violators and traffic enforcers who mulct erring drivers.

Melgar said the equipment is needed not only to monitor the performance of personnel but also to monitor if the water level is rising during a heavy downpour.

He stressed that the installation of CCTV is one of the improvements in their facilities, particularly pumping stations, after the devastation by storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng. “The whole facility must be covered by cameras so there will be no holes left unplugged.”

According to him, the facility is deemed important during heavy rain and monitoring of storms and typhoons because they can immediately act to prevent floods particularly in low lying areas.

He also noted that flood control personnel should always be on alert since their presence is crucial even if the equipment is in place.

The operations of the more than 30 pumping stations in the metropolis are done 24 hours and personnel are working in shifts to ensure manning of the facility even if there is no typhoon.

Two high-capacity pumps will also be installed by the MMDA to boost the existing pumping station serving two cities in Metro Manila. The purchase of the two pumps that can pump out seven cubic meters of water per second was ordered by Fernando in light of the experience of Metro Manila residents after typhoon Ondoy.

Melgar said the twin pumps have been acquired from Taiwan and will be installed at the Libertad pumping station located in Pasay City. The existing pumping station services the needs of Pasay City and Makati City.