President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday ordered the immediate repair of the damaged navigation gate in Navotas City.
The damage has been causing severe flooding in the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela (CAMANAVA ) area, officials pointed out.
Amid the bad weather, the President proceeded to inspect the site and ordered Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to get the ground running on the gate’s repair and rehabilitation.
This developed after the President, during a situation briefing in Malacañang, instructed the DPWH engineers to find a quick fix to the damaged flood gate.
“Anong remedyo d’yan? Paano ba natin puwedeng harangin man lang or is there something we can do? At least as an emergency measure and then we can go back and repair it properly,” President Marcos said during the Palace briefing.
“I know the design. Yeah, that’s why we’ll just have to figure out something, I don’t know what it will be but we have to figure out something. Magpatulong din tayo sa AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) kasi mayroon silang mga pang… how do you call this? Iyong mga instant na kapag may nasira, mayroon silang kapalit kaagad eh baka magamit natin,” the President said in referring to Army engineers.
According to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman Romando Artes, they had a talk with CAMANAVA local officials and the DPWH for the repair.
“May schedule na po na ma-repair iyon within one month. Ang concern na lang po ay habang niri-repair po siya naka-open po iyong floodgate. So tuluy-tuloy po iyong pagpasok ng tubig. Even po ‘pag walang bagyo, magkakaroon po ng pagbaha sa limang barangay sa Malabon at tatlo po sa Navotas,” Artes told the President.
The MMDA said several barangays in Malabon are getting flooded anew especially during high tide due to the damaged flood gate in Barangay Tanza Uno in Navotas City.
The flood gate was damaged after a barge forcefully entered the channel from the sea going to the shipyard.
Artes said a crane will be used to temporarily lift the gate. PND
