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PNoy emerges as floods recede, promises Laguna megadike not slated for funding

Published August 21, 2013 4:38pm

Four days after monsoon floods began to submerge much of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, President Benigno Aquino III emerged into public view in Laguna. Unlike previous instances, Aquino did not fault any agency or officials for lapses.

Instead, he said a megadike will rise along the lake shore in Laguna province to prevent future floods.

However, in the government's flood management master plan that was released just last June, the ring dike was not among those projects recommended for implementation in the next 23 years. The only major structural project for lake communities that made the short list for funding was the P25-B "West Laguna Lakeshore Land Raising."

But the dike was identified in the plan as an "optimum solution in solving the flooding situation in the Laguna lakeshore area." The siltation and resulting shallowness of Laguna Lake cause the rapid overflow of water into low-lying towns along the lake, including those Aquino visited on Wednesday, Biñan and San Pedro. The "optimum solution" did not make the DPWH short list for funding.

At a relief center in San Pedro, Laguna province, Aquino told residents that the megadike that would protect them from rising flood waters will take years to build. He did not delve into project details.

"Yung gagawin ho para dito sa Laguna de Bay, malawakan po iyon. Hindi ho agaran magagawa 'yan ha. Hihintuin ho natin yung pag-angat nung tubig nang mabilis, pero dike ho na malaking-malaki 'yan at hindi kapiraso lang," Aquino said.

Emergency assistance

Along with the symbolic gesture of handing out relief packs to evacuees, Aquino assured flood victims Wednesday at relief centers in Laguna province and Mandaluyong City that despite being absent from the public eye, he had been directing agencies to respond the rainfall warnings PAGASA weather forceasters issued since Sunday. He told reporters that he had been told by his doctors to rest after a severe allergic reaction to flowers.

President Aquino said that for now, what is important is that government agencies respond well to bring flood victims' lives back to normal at the soonest.

In a sortie to Mandaluyong City also on Wednesday, the President said the latest floods underscored the need to push through with the filing of cases against people who own structures that encroach on waterways.

"The end point being to be able to demolish these illegal structures at makadaloy yung tubig," he said.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the department has been conducting drainage improvement projects in Mandaluyong.

"Kung nadaanan nito iyong Boni, ito ang isa sa mga pinakamalaking project namin na ongoing. This will remove the flooding on the Maysilo Circle at yung nandun naman sa may Blumentritt," he said.

Aquino reserved evaluation of the flood mitigation project, opting to see the results first. “The "proof is in the pudding," he said.

Updated on flood damage

The President said he has been briefed about the extent of the flood damage. "Medyo extensive yung briefing na ginawa. It's about an inch thick pero kino-compile pa rin lahat nung ibang datos."

Speaking after his visit to the Mandaluyong Elementary School, Aquino said the amount of rainfall has been "unusual."

"Parang ang estimate is something like yung isang buwan na ulan, bumuhos sa atin within these couple of days," he said.

On Tuesday, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said three days of continuous rain left 50 to 60 percent of Metro Manila flooded.

Wednesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that more than a million Filipinos have been affected.

Still raining

Though it exited from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Wednesday morning,Tropical Storm Maring (international name Trami) will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, state weather forecasters said.

PAGASA forecaster Buddy Javier said a gradual improvement in the weather may not be expected until at least Thursday evening.

The PAGASA forecast said that the entire of Luzon, especially the western section, will be affected by the continued monsoon rains.

"Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Central Luzon, the province of Benguet and the Batanes and Babuyan group of islands will experience monsoon rains which may trigger flash floods and landslides," PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. Bulletin.

Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon will have "cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms."

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA said moderate to strong winds from the south to southwest will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Dams

PAGASA also reported that dams may remain open until Thursday due to the continued rainfall.

Edgar dela Cruz told GMA News Online that while Magat Dam in Isabela closed its gates Tuesday midnight, it might still release water.

“Temporary close lang ito, kasi may mga pag-ulan ulan pa sa mga lugar dun sa Region II,”, Dela Cruz said.

As of the weather agency’s 2 p.m. update, at least three major dams still have gates open amid intermittent heavy rains plaguing parts of Luzon.

Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet each had two gates open, while La Mesa Dam in Quezon City was still overflowing.

Dela Cruz said the San Roque Dam, which serves as catch basin for waters released from both Ambuklao and Binga, remains below critical levels.

Meanwhile, Ipo Dam in Bulacan closed its gates at 3:10 a.m., but PAGASA hydrologists said that as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Ipo had to re-open two gates at 60 cm. Its water level was at 100.77, up from Tuesday's 100.18 meters.

Dela Cruz assured the public that the open dams were no cause for alarm. “Yung Ipo na nakakaapekto sa Bulacan, maliit lang opening, wala pa naman malaking effect,” he said.

NDRRMC

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that the death toll from the monsoon rain and floods has risen to 15 as of Wednesday evening.

In its 6 p.m. update, the NDRRMC said the fatalities included seven in Calabarzon, six in Central Luzon, one in Metro Manila, and one in Apayao.

Among the most recent fatalities were:

- Purita Maluz, 84, San Dionisio, Parañaque City, drowned

- Roman Sanchez, 29, Lubao, Pampanga, electrocuted

- Lodigario Parado Plasilo, 53, Meycauayan, Bulacan, drowned

- Rustom Valeria Despeda, 12, Sariaya, Quezon, swept by flood

- John Genesis, 23, Noveleta, Cavite, swept by flood

- Roberto de Guzman, 53, Imus City, Cavite, swept by flood

- constantine Modesto, 2, Imus City, swept by flood.

Damage

The NDRRMC also said the rain and floods affected 225,056 families or 1,065,353 people in 1,035 villages in 10 towns and 31 cities in 16 provinces.

Of these, 35,668 families or 163,868 people are staying in 501 evacuation centers.

At least 515 areas in 80 towns and cities in Ilocos, Central and Southern Luzon, and Metro Manila were flooded.

Damage was estimated at P73,483,011, including P56.582 million in infrastructure and P16,901,011 in agriculture.

At least 21 houses were destroyed while 28 were damaged.

Around 68 roads in the Ilocos region, Central and southern Luzon, the Bicol region, Metro Manila and Cordillera, along with two bridges in Mountain Province, are still impassable.

Six power interruptions were reported in Southern Luzon. – With reporting by Kim Tan/ BM/DVM/ELR/HS, GMA News

Tags: flood, flooding, floods, metromanilafloods, habagat