Residents seek lasting solution as flooding persists in Bulacan village

Residents of Barangay Frances in Calumpit, Bulacan are once again appealing for urgent and long-term solutions as flooding continues to disrupt daily life in their community—even before the height of the rainy season.

On Saturday, several parts of the village were already underwater after days of intermittent rain brought by the southwest monsoon, combined with high tide that regularly pushes water into the low-lying area.

According to a report by Jamie Santos on "24 Oras Weekend," people were seen carefully making their way through knee-deep floodwaters as they tried to go about their usual routines.

In some homes, water had already crept inside, forcing families to raise their floors or pile up soil around their houses just to keep the water out.

For many residents, the flooding has become part of everyday life. Students and workers, in particular, have to wade through submerged roads just to get to school or work—an ordeal they say is exhausting and increasingly difficult.

Some locals believe the situation has worsened after a nearby dike was damaged. They say flooding used to be less severe, even during high tide, but has since become more frequent and intrusive.

“Dati hindi naman ganito dito. Nung nasira ang dike, pumapasok araw-araw ang tubig. Pero nung wala pa iyon, hindi naman kami ganito. Hirap na hirap na kami,” Vilma, a resident, said.

(Things were not like this before. When the dike was damaged, water started coming in every day. But even before the dike was built, we did not experience flooding like this. We are really struggling.)

Barangay officials, however, explained that Frances is naturally flood-prone, describing it as a catch basin located in a low-lying area where water tends to accumulate.

To help residents cope, the barangay has deployed boats and motorized carts that are used for rescue operations and for ferrying students across flooded streets.

Village officials also expressed hope that an ongoing flood control project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will help ease the problem in the long run.

The project, implemented through the Bulacan First District Engineering Office, includes a 500-meter road and flood control structure in the Tibag area of Purok Uno, according to village chair Jessie Cayago.

While floodwaters usually recede during low tide, residents said the relief is only temporary, as water quickly returns once tides rise or rains continue.

With the rainy season just beginning, many in the village worry that conditions could worsen in the coming weeks, and are again calling on authorities to deliver lasting solutions to what they describe as a long-standing and recurring problem.—MCG, GMA News