MANILA, Philippines—The Manila Electric Co. assures the public it has taken measures to help mitigate the effects of Typhoon Santi on power supply when it strikes during the weekend.

Such measures include safety advisories to households and commercial establishments.

"Meralco, for instance, has consistently requested billboard owners and operators to temporarily roll their billboards up to prevent these structures from being toppled by strong winds," said Meralco external communications manager Joe Zaldarriaga in a statement.

He said that billboards falling electrical lines are among the major causes of power outages during typhoons. Another major cause of outages are tree branches that fall on or touch power lines.

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

Meralco has also given 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-soled 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 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.

"We are expecting a typhoon that may pose hazards on lives and properties. Rest assured, though, that we at Meralco are doing everything within our capacity to prepare our systems and personnel in order that we could immediately respond to power outages that may result from the typhoon," Zaldarriaga said.

Zaldarriaga also urged the public to tune in to public service radio stations should power interruptions occur. Customers may call the Meralco Call Center at 16211 or text their concerns to 09209292824 or 09175592824.