Water lilies, trash worsen floods in Biñan, Laguna

The large amount of water lilies in the river have worsened the flooding in low-lying areas in Biñan, Laguna amid the continuous heavy downpour. 

According to Jun Veneracion’s report in “24 Oras” on Tuesday, Ilog Mariano, as the residents refer to it, has overflowed due to the nonstop rains of the recent days. It is one of the primary waterways located in the low-lying areas of the town. 

Residents usually take advantage of the water lilies to weave them into baskets which they would sell. However, the water lilies have obstructed the flow of the river, which only worsened the situation of the city. 

Several volunteers and officials from the barangay and the city government braved the rains together to clear up the river from water lilies. 

“Mostly po kusang tumutubo yung water lily. Pero lagi naman pong minomonitor ng kawani ng gobyerno, lagi po nilang nililinis kapag alam nilang may parating na bagyo,” said Brgy. San Jose kagawad Jianne Pecaña. 

(The water lilies mostly grow spontaneously. But the government personnel always monitor them, they always clean it when they know a typhoon is coming.) 

Aside from the aquatic flora, residents also tried to get rid of the wastes clogging sewage to mitigate the knee-deep floods that accompany heavy rainfall. 

“Kaya kami po ay nagtutulong-tulong para maibsan ang baha dito sa amin,” a resident shared as he and his neighbors brought their shovels with them. 

(That's why we are helping each other to alleviate the flood here.) 

Meanwhile, some residents had to seek temporary shelters in evacuation centers. 

In the case of Jessabel Cabansan, it is her first time to stay in an evacuation center along with her three small children who are 10, 3, and 8 months old. 

“Siyempre nahihirapan ako kasi ‘yung asawa ko nandoon sa trabaho niya malayo sa amin, nasa Cavite po,” she said while near tears. 

(Of course I'm having a hard time because my husband is at work in Cavite and far away from us.) 

Data from the city disaster response office, over 250 families have already evacuated, the report said. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News