Navotas to put up 2 more pumping stations in 2009

MANILA, Philippines - The Navotas City mayor Toby Tiangco said the city government will build two more pumping stations next year as part of the city's anti-flooding efforts. In an interview, Tiangco said both pumping stations will be constructed at Brgy. Tanza, one of the most flood-prone areas in the city, and will cost around P55 million. Tiangco said the construction of two pumping stations in Brgy. Tanza will increase the number of city's pumping stations to 22 located in 25 barangays. He added that the present 20 pumping stations is responsible for reducing Navotas’s number of flooded days to 165 in 2000 to only eight days this year. Tiangco said he expects the city’s flooding problem to be solved once the two additional pumping stations in Brgy. Tanza becomes operational by the latter part of 2009. The Navotas government decided to construct its own pumping stations last 2002 as part of its program to fight the perennial flooding problem afflicting the city and threatening to retard its economic growth. He added that the series of pumping stations ringing the city’s 10 square kilometer area is the best anti-flooding measure brought about the local and private sector research on the problem. With the reduction the flooding problem by some 90 percent, Tiangco said Navotas is now preparing itself to compete with other cities in Metro Manila in attracting investors and infrastructure development in order to provide better economic opportunities for its residents. - GMANews.TV