Mimaropa cops, responders rescue 12 teachers stranded by rising river

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Police and disaster responders rescued 12 teachers who were stranded after the sudden rise of the Bongabong River caused a bamboo bridge serving as their main access route to collapse in Bongabong town on Thursday (Aug. 20).

The teachers of Naswak Elementary School were evacuated from Sitio Naswak in Barangay Lisap following a report from a barangay official that the raging river had cut off their access to the community.

Upon receiving the report, the MDRRMO coordinated with the police and other emergency responders, who immediately proceeded to the area to assess the situation and evacuate the stranded teachers.

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All 12 teachers were safely brought out of the area without reported injuries and taken to the MDRRMO Operations Center in Barangay Sagana, where they were provided assistance.

Mimaropa police regional director PBrig.Gen. Christopher R. Dela Cruz said: “In an emergency, every minute matters. What saved the situation was the quick coordination and immediate response of our personnel and partner responders to make sure that all our teachers were brought to safety,” Dela Cruz said.

The rescue came amid continuing rains in parts of Oriental Mindoro, raising the risk of sudden rises in rivers and the further deterioration of access routes.

The rescue operation was led by personnel of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) of the Oriental Mindoro Police Provincial Office, under the supervision of Force Commander PLTCOL Israel Cisco T. Magnaye, in coordination with the 10th Special Action Battalion of the PNP Special Action Force, Bureau of Fire Protection-Bongabong, and the Bongabong Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) Rescue Division. INQ