MANILA, Philippines -- The Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the country's biggest power distributor, said on Tuesday it put in place the necessary precautionary measures to mitigate the potential damage of typhoon Ramil.

Although the typhoon is not expected to directly hit Metro Manila, Meralco has assured the public that it is prepared to respond to any potential threat brought by Ramil.

These measures include among others, safety advisories being issued to households and commercial establishments, according to Meralco.

Meralco external communications manager Joe Zaldarriaga said in a statement that Meralco, as was the case during the approach of a typhoon, has appealed to billboard owners and operators to remove their billboard canvasses as a precaution to prevent them from being ripped off by strong winds.

Billboards that fell on electrical facilities were among the top reasons for power outages during strong typhoons, he explained. Another major cause of power outages during typhoons are tree branches that fall on or touch electrical lines.

"Meralco has likewise repeatedly reminded the public to have their trees near electrical facilities trimmed by Meralco personnel prior to typhoons," Zaldarriaga added.

"We are expecting a typhoon that may pose hazards to lives and properties. Be rest assured, though, that we are doing everything within our capacity to prepare our systems and people in order that we could immediately respond to power outages that may result from the typhoon. As a 24-hour service company, we are committed to respond to these types of emergency," Zaldarriaga said.

Meralco also gave out safety tips on using electrical devices and appliances after a flood, advising electricity end-users to:

1) Ensure that the main electrical power switch or circuit breaker is off. Be sure to be dry at all times when in contact with an electrical facility. Use insulated pliers and tools, rubber boots and rubber gloves to avoid electrocution;

2) Unplug appliances from wall sockets. Turn off permanently connected equipment and unscrew all light bulbs, if possible;

3) Remove mud and dirt from service equipment or main circuit breaker/fuse and its enclosure using rubber gloves and rubber-sole shoes;

4) Make sure that all electrical wires, connectors and other wiring devices are completely dry. Drying may take days, depending on the appliance or device and on the weather, and;

5) Have the wiring system of all appliances be checked by a licensed electrician when all electrical wires and accessories have dried up and are clean. Do not turn on flood-damaged electrical appliances.

Zaldarriaga also urged the public to tune in to the different public service radio stations should power interruptions occur.

Customers may also call the Meralco Call Center at 16211 or text their concerns to 09209292824 or 09175592824.