Bayani Fernando, DPWH point fingers in Marikina River reclamation

Marikina City Representative Bayani Fernando said his firm BF Corporation is not linked to the reclamation project in Marikina River, which Mayor Marcy Teodoro said contributed to the widespread flooding in the city during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.

According to Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, Teodoro believes that soil dumped by the project along one section of the Marikina River embankment near Provident Village and Sitio Olandes Industrial Valley Complex is one of the factors that contributed to the recent flooding in the city.

Teodoro claimed that the reclamation project would benefit the property there, BF City, owned by Fernando.

Fernando said that the dumping is part of the Department of Public Works and Highway’s road dike project—which, he said, even reached part of his land.

“Hindi ‘yan pinapalapad. Nabawasan pa nga dahil mini-maintain ‘yong kalaparan ng ilog na kinakailangan. Kaya nga sila ay pumasok pa doon sa aming pag-aari. Road dike ‘yon eh, papunta ng Pasig ‘yon. ‘Yan ang ginagawa nila sa buong ilog Marikina. Nilalagyan nila ng kalye magkabi-kabiila na pampang. Tagos hanggang San Mateo ‘yan hanggang Pasig,” he said.

Fernando said for the unobstructed flow of the river, inroads should also be made on the shore on Sitio Olandes's side, to straighten the river's curve. 

“Hindi nakakadagdag ‘yon sa pagbabaha. Hindi makakaharang sa tubig ‘yan sapagkat ‘yan na mismo ay kasunod na noong plano diyan sa buong lugar na ‘yan na ako’y katulong sa paggawa ng plano na ‘yon,” he added.

Meanwhile, the DPWH said it does not have a reclamation project in the Marikina River.

“It is currently undertaking the Pasig-Marikina Flood Control Projtect… [which] includes widening and dredging of the existing river to increase its current capacity,” DPWH Build, Build, Build committee chairperson Anna Mae Lamentillo said.

Teoodoro earlier said Fernando’s firm will not be spared from legal liability as the reclamation project reduced the width of the river and covered the flood plain.

“Mayroon tayong kinuhang velocity measurement ng water current. Ang tanong, bago dumating ‘yong BF City, mabilis ‘yong current on the average 2.8 meters per second. Pagdating ng BF City, naging 1.9 meters per second. Pagkalagpas ng BF City, 2.9 meters per second,” Teodoro said.

He claimed that the road dike will only benefit the BF Corporation.

“Upon his initiative as congressman, pinagpagawa mo ng kalsada sa lupa mo, ‘di ba? Sino nakinabang? Edi ‘yong may-ari ng lupa. It’s a conflict of interest. By definition, it’s a conflict of interest being a public official building a private road in your private property,” Teodoro said.

Meanwhile, Fernando said his company has no legal liability.

“[Kung may dapat sisihin], ang Manalo Bridge [dahil] nakaharang sa tubig. Walang naiwan doon kundi limampung metro na kalaparan,” he said.

He said Manalo Bridge prevented the water in Marikina River from flowing through Pasig River. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News