Government allots P352 B to solve Metro Manila floods

MANILA, Philippines - The government has set aside a total of P352 billion to solve flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring areas, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson said yesterday.

He told the House of Representatives appropriations committee, chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, that implementation of most of the flood control projects is still ongoing, with some to be completed this year and next year.

He said among the structures that would be finished soon are the Mandaluyong main drainage system, which is 65.7 percent complete; Blumentritt interceptor in Manila, 85.8 percent complete; and various “high-impact” flood control projects, 97.6 percent finished.

He said ongoing projects include Pasig River improvement, from Del Pan bridge up to the Napindan flood control structure, which is 30.33 percent complete; and lower Marikina River improvement, from Napindan River channel to Manggahan floodway, 36.82 percent finished.

The other structures and their funding allocations are Pasig-Marikina River improvement and dam construction, P198.4 billion; Meycauayan River improvement, P14 billion; Malabon-Tullahan River improvement, P21.6 billion; South Parañaque-Las Piñas River improvement, P17.3 billion; East Manggayan floodway, P25.9 billion; west Laguna lakeshore land raising, P25.2 billion; land raising for small cities around Laguna Lake, P7.2 billion; improvement of inflow rivers to Laguna Lake, P637 million; Manila core area drainage improvement, P27.3 billion; West Manggayan area drainage improvement, P5.5 billion; and Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan River improvement, P8.6 billion.

Singson said the completion of these projects would greatly ease flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring areas.

He said the three major causes of flooding are the huge volume of water coming from the Sierra Madre mountain range, drainage capacity constraints in the metropolis and the fact that communities around Manila Bay and Laguna Lake are situated in low-lying areas.

Outside the National Capital Region, he said his department has constructed 712 dikes, 3,939 river walls, 684 waterways, 2,629 drainage mains, 69 mini dams, and completed 1,446 similar projects.

Roads to tourist spots, ports

He added that in support of the government’s tourism campaign and as part of the administration’s convergence program, they have built roads that lead to tourist destinations and to airports and seaports.

Among the major ongoing public-private partnership road projects are the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway, to be completed next year; Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, also to be completed next year; North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Harbor Link (2017); Plaridel bypass road (2018); and Tarlac-Cabanatuan Expressway (2019).

Those for implementation are the NLEX-South Expressway Connector Road, to be completed in 2020, Sto. Tomas-Lucena Expressway (2020) and Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike (2023).

Singson’s department will get the second biggest budget increase among state agencies next year after the Department of Education.

Its funding will go up by P88 billion, from P303.2 billion this year to P391.2 billion.