5 minors missing after swimming in Marilao River in Bulacan

Five minors were reported missing after they were swept away while swimming in the Marilao River in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, amid heavy rains on Monday, barangay officials said.

In a report on Unang Hirit on Wednesday, GMA News' Gabriel Gonzalez said officials of Barangay Gaya-Gaya had warned the teenagers against swimming in the river because of strong current and elevated water level.

Despite the warning, some of the youths reportedly returned and jumped into the river.

Search-and-rescue operations continued along the Marilao River and in nearby areas.

Meanwhile, widespread flooding and infrastructure damage were reported after heavy rains hit various parts of Luzon.

In Calumpit, Bulacan, authorities declared a state of calamity as floodwaters submerged several barangays, with some areas experiencing thigh- to waist-deep flooding, Gabriel Gonzalez reported.

Residents of Barangay Gugo said flooding has persisted for about a year and was worsened by rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat in recent days.

Some residents have been forced to abandon farming as their agricultural lands remain underwater.

In Barangay Balungao, residents said they have grown accustomed to flooding whenever it rains.

Classes in Calumpit were suspended on Wednesday as authorities continued responding to the effects of the flooding.

Heavy rains also caused the collapse of a river wall in Barangay Prenza II in Marilao, just less than two months after it was built.

Residents captured video of the soil along the riverbank gradually collapsing as rains poured.

The project was reportedly worth P5 million.

The contractor denied that the structure was substandard, saying it followed the specifications in the program of works. The contractor attributed the collapse possibly to the weight of waterlogged soil.

The local government unit has ordered an investigation into the incident.

In Hagonoy, a family had to use a boat to transport the coffin of a deceased relative through knee-deep floodwaters so the burial could proceed.

In Batangas City, a man waded through knee-deep floodwaters to rescue his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, who is a person with disability, after they became stranded at home.

In Antipolo, Rizal, police officers helped a pregnant woman cross a swollen river after her family sought assistance in bringing her to a hospital.

Meanwhile, massive amounts of garbage were left behind by floodwaters in parts of Metro Manila, according to a report of Ivan Mayrina.

In Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque City, residents and authorities manually removed piles of mixed garbage brought in by the flood and high tide.

Similar piles of trash were recovered from Baseco Beach in Manila, while Barangay Bagumbayan North in Navotas was also left with large amounts of garbage.

Metro Manila Council president and San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora urged Congress to revisit provisions of the Local Government Code, particularly penalties for improper waste disposal, saying garbage worsens the recurring flooding problem.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. visited flood-hit Las Piñas City and inspected a High Vacuum Self-Priming Drainage Trailer Pump deployed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The mobile pump can help prevent drainage systems from overflowing by removing nearly one cubic meter of water per second.

Marcos acknowledged that dredging and mobile pumps are only temporary measures.

He called for the review and completion of plans for a long-term spillway project in Las Piñas, which he said could significantly help address flooding in Metro Manila.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA News