At least four persons were reported dead in last weekend's monsoon rains in the metropolis, the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Monday.

Dioscoro Camacho, 36, and Gloria Mendoza, 61, drowned in Marikina and Quezon City, NDRRMC said. The Quezon City recorded two more drowned: Gregorio Quilaton and Edgar Bugaay.

The NDRRMC also report that a total of 248, 080 families or 1,057,767 persons were affected in 713 barangays in Regions I, III, Calabarzon, CAR and NCR.

It also noted that a total of 12,647 families or 54,682 individuals were being served in 110 evacuation centers.

The report also shows that a total of 3,178 houses were damaged in Regions I and III, 51 of which were destroyed while 3,127 others were partially damaged.

As of 12 pm the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has recorded a total of 346 passengers, eight vessels and 33 motorboats were stranded in different ports in the Bicol Region and Southern Tagalog.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) placed the regions affected by the effect of the Southwest monsoon enhanced by Tropical Storm Karding under full alert status.

This was announced by PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde in a press conference in Camp Crame.

“Actually I have directed the directorate for operation to declare a full alert in the flooded areas especially in Cordillera Regions I, III, IV and National Capital Region,” he said.

Albayalde said the PNP deployed hundreds of additional forces in the areas affected by the southwest monsoon.

“In the aftermath of massive flooding in Luzon, the Philippine National Police, in addition to our 4,058 personnel we have deployed (591) and on standby (3,467) for search and rescue (SAR) operations,” he said.

Albayalde said the PNP will also help in ensuring that a price freeze on basic commodities will be implemented in areas under state of calamity.

“We will also assist the Department of Trade and Industry and Local Government Units in enforcing a price freeze on basic commodities in areas under state of calamity to prevent profiteering, hoarding and illegal acts of price manipulation,” he said.

“I am directing the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) and the police intelligence units to closely assist in the enforcement of the price freeze and take appropriate action in support of DTI,” he added.

Albayalde said as of Sunday, the province of Cavite; the cities of Marikina, Olongapo and Balanga; and some municipalities in Bataan, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac were under a state of calamity due to severe floods. Robina Asido/DMS