Flood control measures effective as water recedes faster — Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s flood control efforts have proven effective in areas like Las Piñas City, as floodwaters were no longer as deep and receded more quickly, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday.

Marcos highlighted the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) dredging projects in the city in the wake of continuous rainfall and widespread flooding across Luzon since last week.

“Marami pa tayong gagawin, ngunit mukha namang effective ‘yung ating nagawa na, nasimulan nitong taon na ito,” Marcos told reporters during his inspection of a high-vacuum self-priming drainage trailer pump at Alido Bridge, Barangay Zapote.

(We will do more, but it seems what we have done this year is proving effective.)

“Kahit may baha pa nang kaunti ay malaki ang binawas, hindi na ganoon kalalim. Pangalawa, mas mabilis mawala ‘yung tubig dahil nga nabuksan na natin ang ating mga kanal,” he added.

(Even if there is still slight flooding, it is no longer as deep. Second, floods recede faster because we have opened our sewage channels.)

He also claimed that chest-deep floods in Las Piñas City now barely reach the knees.

The president, however, noted that the government’s flood mitigation efforts are far from over, saying he has instructed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to review the construction of a spillway in Las Piñas that has been stalled over the past decade.

A trash crisis

Aside from infrastructure delays, Marcos pointed out that massive volumes of garbage from neighboring areas continue to overwhelm Metro Manila’s drainage canals, aggravating floods during high tide in areas like Parañaque City.

He said the government will push through with waste-to-energy programs that process solid garbage into electricity.

He also urged the public and local government units to practice proper waste disposal.

“Hindi natin titigilan hanggang matapos ‘yan. Ang dredging, talagang walang tigil ‘yan, tuloy-tuloy ‘yan. At hangga’t magawan natin ng paraan na maipon ‘yung tubig bago pa bumaha, ‘yun ang talagang long-term plan diyan,” Marcos said.

(We will not stop until this is finished. Dredging will be non-stop. Until we find a way to impound the water before it flows down, that remains our long-term plan.)

“Kaya’t patuloy ang ating mga pinaplano para sa flood control,” he added.

(Our plans for flood control will continue.)  Andre Esguerra, INQUIRER.net trainee /jpv

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