MMDA: Squatters, buildings occupy 50% of Metro Manila waterways

MANILA, Philippines — An official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has pointed to informal settlers and encroachment of buildings for occupying an estimated 350-kilometer stretch of esteros and other waterways in Metro Manila, making it difficult for the MMDA to implement clean-up activities.

In an interview with “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News, MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management director Baltazar Melgar said about 50 percent or 350 kilometers of the esteros and other waterways cannot be accessed by their maintenance equipment because of informal settlers and encroachment of infrastructure such as buildings.

Melgar said about 273 national waterways, composed mainly of esteros, creeks, rivers and floodways, have three-meter easements, totaling 700 kilometers.

He admitted, though, that their maintenance equipment is unable to reach all of these areas because of obstructions, mainly the informal settlers and establishments that have encroached on the waterways.

At present, Metro Manila has 62 pumping stations that Melgar says are all working. But he says waterways leading to the pumping stations “are problematic because they are clogged.”

“In the natural waterways in some areas, there are informal settlers that constrict the flow of water toward the pumping station. Also, during the operation of our pumping station, we encounter garbage so we cannot fully operate our pumps,” he added.

In each pumping station, the MMDA has around five to eight pumps, but the agency could not maximize the use of its pumps because of the presence of garbage.

Melgar emphasized that these pumping stations are vital in the flood mitigation program.

“They are not only used during the rainy season but even during the dry season since some parts of the metropolis, particularly in areas in Camanava (Cavite, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) and areas along Laguna Lake, Manila Bay and Pasig River, experience flood even during high tide,” he said.

The MMDA official explained that the topography of some areas is only “a bit high from sea level.”

“So, during similar occurrence of high tide and heavy rainfall, we need to pump out from the landside to Manila Bay,” he said.

Despite the mitigating measures and flood control projects being undertaken by the government, Metro Manila is not spared from flooding because the “rainfall intensity is more than enough of the capacity of the waterways” and “the rainfall is so strong that the waterways overflow,” according to Melgar.

Part of the government’s masterplan is to build a dam upstream to temporarily store the rainfall coming from Montalban, Rizal so it would not cascade down to Marikina City and contribute to the flooding.

Meanwhile, Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region (NCR) director Ador Canlas said even if it is not yet the rainy season, the agency has already reactivated its disaster teams in nine district offices in the NCR.

But in order for the national masterplan to succeed in addressing the flood problem in Metro Manila, the participation of local government units (LGUs) is “very vital.”

Canlas admitted that putting up the engineering aspect of the masterplan is the easier part of their job.

“It is the social and political aspect of the plan that is more difficult to resolve,” he said. “We really need the support and cooperation of the LGUs in enforcing the laws.”

Melgar added that LGUs need to address the problem of informal settlers, many of whom throw their garbage into the waterways and their shanties obstruct the flow of water.