MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ [Airing starts] …Manuel Bonoan and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairperson Romando Artes. Good afternoon, Secretary Bonoan and Chairman Artes. Go ahead and please brief the media on the meeting today with the President.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Well, today, we presented to the President actually what the Department of Public Works and Highways is undertaking to mitigate the flooding problems all over the country and in particular, we focus also on Metro Manila area. And, in today’s briefing, I mentioned to the President that since this administration took over in July of 2022 and up to May of 2024, we were able to accomplish or to complete about 5,521 projects. And these projects, I have to clarify that many of these projects also started way back in the previuos administrations but these were projects that we have to continue because these were delayed because of pandemic and other factors.

So, but we continued on and these projects were completed. And I also informed the President that in continuing with the flood control projects all over the country, we are going to continue to implement another more than 5,000 flood control projects. But I categorized these projects are the immediate engineering interventions in the principal rivers because the Department of Public Works and Highways is also implementing flood control management programs in the 18 major river basins throughout the country including Metro Manila – and this is the Pasig-Marikina Flood Control Management System.

So, I laid down actually what are the components of these projects and everything in there. I think there are directives in the process, the President has directed the department to consider actually not only the flow of floodwaters but also to impound initially the floodwaters in the watershed areas and this is a very important component that we need to address at this point in time. And I think, basically, this is a solution that will impede actually the flow of floodwaters down to the low-lying areas.

And, of course, there are other instructions of the President that we have to collaborate also with the other stakeholders particularly in the internal drainage management systems particularly in urban areas because this is very vital to address the runoff waters particularly in urban areas. So, these are some of the things that the President instructed us to look into in the future projects that we are deemed to implement in the department.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ Okay. Thank you, Secretary Bonoan. Chairman Artes…

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Yes. Before I start, I just like to correct the post circulating online that MMDA has 787.6 billion budget for flood control for the past two years, total. That’s fake news, we don’t have that much budget for flood control. In fact, for 2023, we only have 1.8 billion budget and 2.2 billion for 2024 – that includes the 400 million for operations and maintenance of 71 pumping stations.

So, the 787.6 billion is fake news. In fact, sa history po siguro ng MMDA, we are already 49 years – baka iyong total budget po namin sa 49 years na iyan ay hindi pa po naka-87 billion. So, mali po iyong kumakalat sa post na 787.6 billion ang budget ng MMDA for flood control projects sa dalawang taon.

We just like to emphasize at kanina po ay napag-usapan, unang-una, iyon pong tubig na dala nitong Bagyong Carina ay mas mataas or mas marami kaysa sa dala ng Ondoy – 471mm in 24 hours as compared to 455mm noon pong Ondoy. Pero despite that, nakita naman po natin, mabilis tumaas iyong tubig pero mabilis din naman pong nag-recede. Ang atin po kasing pumping stations ay may capacity na 15 to 20 mm per hour – ang Bagyong Carina po ay nagdala ng 74mm na tubig per hour. So, pero after a few hours naman po, halos lahat ay nawalan na ng tubig-baha except po sa some areas particularly Malabon, Navotas dahil nasira lang po iyong floodgates – na-report naman po iyan, iyan ay nabangga ng isang barko at ngayon po ongoing iyong repair as we speak.

Iyon naman pong sa Valenzuela, nagkasabay po kasi iyong release ng dalawang dams – iyong Ipo and Angat at iyong high tide kaya hindi ma-pump out iyong tubig. So, as soon as nag-low tide naman, na-pump off natin iyong tubig. Kanina napag-usapan iyong mga measures para maiwasan ito particularly sa Valenzuela, small impounding and big impounding projects at iyong possibility na magkaroon ng—tama ba iyon, Sec. Manny, iyong interceptors? Para iyong mga tubig galing upstreams ay hindi na dumaan doon sa mga flood-prone areas at ma-divert na diretso palabas probably sa Pacific Ocean or Manila Bay.

Napag-usapan din kanina iyong iba pang mga solutions like iyong sa internal drainage – kami po ng DPWH ay magsasagawa ng drainage masterplan, approved na po iyan for funding ng World Bank, hinihintay lang po namin iyong extension ng loan facility ng World Bank, iyan po iyong gagawa ng comprehensive drainage masterplan. Dito po sa Metro Manila, alam naman po natin antiquated na iyong ating drainage system – according to Sec. Manny, iyan po ay nagawa pa noong panahon ng dating Pangulong Marcos, iyong drainage masterplan for Metro Manila so kailangan na po talagang i-update lalung-lalo na sa ngayon na mayroon tayong climate change, mas mataas na iyong tide ng tubig sa ating mga oceans at iyong ulan po na dala ng mga bagyo ay mas malalakas.

So, update lang din po. In-update natin ang Pangulo doon sa clean-up drive na ginagawa ng MMDA sa Metro Manila. Nakita naman po siguro natin iyong mga basura na dala ng bagyo at ganoon din po iyong mga itinatapon po ng ating mga kababayan na mga napinsalang gamit. Sa atin din pong mga pumping stations, napakarami po ng nahihigop na basura. Sabi nga po ni Sec. Manny, kapag inipon mo daw iyong mga basura na iba’t ibang klase, makakapagpatayo ka ng bahay, furnished pa dahil mayroon pong ref, kama, mattress at kung ano-ano pang mga appliances and furnitures ang kasama po na basura na nadadala sa ating mga pumping stations.

Na-discuss naman po ni Sec. Manny kung ano iyong mga long-term plans para mawala po iyong baha sa Metro Manila na alinsunod doon sa masterplan na ginawa ng World Bank, World Bank plans po iyan hanggang 2035. So, ginagawa naman po lahat iyan.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ Okay. Thank you, Chairman Artes. Question from Chona Yu, People’s Journal.

CHONA YU/PEOPLE’S JOURNAL: Sir, good afternoon. Iyong 5,500 completed flood control projects, saan po ito matatagpuan at ilan po doon ang sa Metro Manila and iyong additional na 5,000 na sabi mo na itutuloy pa ng administration, saan po ulit ito? Thank you.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN:  Well, nandidito sa akin iyong listahan in all over the regions ‘no, all over the regions. And with your specific question about NCR, itong natapos namin sa NCR actually is about 656 flood control projects ‘no. This includes siguro iyong mga paggawa ng mga revetment walls sa mga tributaries, sa paglilinis ng mga tributaries going to the flood pumping stations. Nakita ko iyon doon sa mga ginawa ng mga nakaraan, iyong pag-install ng mga booster pumps actually doon sa mga tributaries para mas mabilis iyong paghigop ng tubig-baha sa Metro Manila; at saka iyong pag-desilt ng mga waterways ‘no. So these are from 2019 to 2023; marami ito, all the way to all regions.

CHONA YU/PEOPLE’S JOURNAL: Sir, is there a chance na maging flood-free ang Metro Manila?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Well, kasi, I don’t know what is the definition of flood-free. I think—

CHONA YU/PEOPLE’S JOURNAL: Parang kaunting ulan, baha.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Hindi naman siguro iyong kaunting ulan, baha actually. Now, I think—actually, there are still many low-lying areas in Metro Manila. Ang kuwan lang natin dito is to mitigate the flooding problems in Metro Manila by way of iyong sinasabi natin, by way of implementing iyong engineering solutions and plus, of course, iyong social and environmental issues have also to be addressed actually ‘no. Kagaya niyan in Metro Manila, nasabi nga natin dito sa kuwan natin, Metro Manila is a small area with so many people so it’s overpopulated siguro at this point in time. More people, more business, more economic activities, more problems that you will get.

So ang kuwan po natin dito is, we’re trying to, kagaya nga ng sinabi ni Presidente, i-trap muna natin iyong mga tubig-baha na nanggagaling sa watershed, particularly in the Sierra Madre mountains so that iyong pagdaloy ng tubig-baha will be controlled actually para hindi naman iyong buhos kaagad na pumapasok. I think, we have enough protection already that we have implemented throughout the years dito sa Pasig-Marikina River by enhancing or dinagdagan natin iyong mga revetment walls all over ‘no, along Pasig-Marikina River, and this will already give ample protection from iyong overflowing of Pasig-Marikina to the low-lying areas of Metro Manila. And this will ensure that there’s going to be an effective and efficient waterway to dispose the flood water as they come.

Pero the other problem that we have to look into is actually how do we draw out the runoff water that is trapped inside Metro Manila? And ito iyong sinasabi nga ni MMDA Chairman that we have to look into the antiquated drainage system kasi there was a study done before na iyong drainage system, internal drainage system of Metro Manila, iyong mga maliliit na pipes kuwan dito is already about 30% efficient; 70% of the internal drainage of Metro Manila is silted sa mga basura and other things. So these need to be rehabilitated and upgraded. Iyon lang ang kuwan natin dito.

And, of course, marami pa iyong kuwan, iyong other factors like—this is a social factor, like iyong mga informal settlers that are staying in the waterways, iyong mga ganoon. And these are the most vulnerable people also that need to be addressed.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ Secretary, you mentioned the catch basins which the President had stressed today as one of the main possible solutions to flooding, and this is in keeping with the way this administration is managing water. So it’s not just flood management, but it’s an entire water management system that the President would like to have a long-term large-scale solution.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yes, absolutely. I think this is what the President wants: To address the flood management program, it has to be done holistically and integrated manner. Kasi if we are doing actually the engineering part of it and we are not addressing the environmental and social issues, I think there is still this chance ‘no. It has to be an integrated way of addressing the flooding problems.

ALLAN FRANCISCO/PTV4: Hi, Sec. Hi, Attorney. Nabanggit ninyo po iyong tungkol sa basura. You were saying na mas marami iyong tubig na dala ng Bagyong Carina compared to Ondoy. Sa usapin ng basura, sir, saan mas maraming nakolekta, naipon?

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Well, halos lahat ng flooded areas ay may naiwan na basura. And even sa mga pumping stations natin, halos napuno ng basura. Truckloads ang ating nakukuha – minsan isang barangay, ten truckloads ang hinahakot namin na basura. Iyan ay sa MMDA side lang; wala pa diyan iyong regular na humahakot ng basura na contractors ng LGUs, dahil napakarami po talaga, even during our monitoring noong kasagsagan ng bagyo, talaga pong napakaraming basura ang dala ng tubig-baha.

Q: [OFF MIC]

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Well, more likely po dahil household waste po iyong kasama na mga basura.

ALLAN FRANCISCO/PTV4: Secretary, paki-explain lang po ito, itong comprehensive drainage master plan. Para sa mga kababayan nating nanunood ngayon, ano ang maitutulong nitong plano na ito, sir?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: I think si GM will be more—

ALLAN FRANCISCO/PTV4: Go, Chairman.

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Iyon kasing comprehensive drainage masterplan, iyan po ay tulad ng ginagawa sa Netherlands. Similarly situated tayo sa Netherlands, ang Metro Manila, particularly iyong Amsterdam dahil mababa siyang lugar at bahain. Ang kanilang ginawa, mayroon silang 50 to 60-year drainage masterplan, meaning pinu-project na nila iyong tubig-ulan based on weather patterns kung gaano karaming ulan ang darating 30 years and 50 years from the time na ginagawa iyon, then ina-adjust nila iyan after 30 years.

So iyong plano po natin, kasama ang DPWH at mga LGUs, aralin lahat iyong drainage system dito sa buong Metro Manila. As we’ve said, antiquated na kasi siya, maliliit, silted. Kailangan na po na integrated siya, meaning, dito as lugar na ito, ganito kalapad, ganito kalalim. Hindi dapat pagdating sa kabila na kalsada, makipot, mababaw, hindi nakakadiretso iyong tubig. Dito po sa atin pong drainage masterplan, lahat po iyan ay integrated para ang daloy ng tubig-ulan ay diri-diretso by force of gravity palabas sa mga major waterways at hindi po maipon sa particular na lugar.

So iyon po iyong purpose and benefits ng drainage masterplan na gagawin po namin – ng MMDA, ng DPWH katulong po ang mga LGUs ng Metro Manila.

ALLAN FRANCISCO/PTV4: Magkano, Attorney, ang budget diyan?

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Well, pinag-aaralan pa kasi depende sa scope ng trabahong gagawin dito sa plano. Kasi parang ang tinitingnan po natin, kasama na iyong detailed engineering design. So pati po iyong disenyo ng mismong kanal or drainage, pati po iyong mga gamit na gagamitin ay gusto nating ipasama na para may template na tayo or bible para kung ang magpapagawa ay DPWH, ganito iyong susundin; kapag LGU, ganito po iyong susundin para may specific standard na.

So depende po iyan kung kakayanin ng budget, kung hanggang detailed engineering design. So magpu-propose po tayo, together with DPWH, kung magkano iyong possible cost.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ Okay, Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN.

PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Kay Secretary at saka kay Chairman. Sir, because of La Niña we expect to experience if not the same intensity or more typhoons of this intensity iyong kay Typhoon Carina, can we assure the public na iyong mga interventions that we are doing particular on the short-term kasi nangyayari na siya this year, would be enough to prevent what happened next week from happening again or at least mabawasan man lang?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Well, what I can say is actually the engineering interventions that we have done so far, is actually—have been made effective actually for the conveyance of floodwaters ‘no. Ang problema natin dito is how to get the floodwaters inside the waterways ‘no. I think, iyong nangyari kasi sa atin dito ngayon sa Typhoon Carina is that hinugot niya ang habagat and that exacerbated actually the rainfall intensity.

As we were briefed actually today, I think the probabilities of having iyong hihigupin ulit iyong habagat may not be that intense at this point in time kasi I think sabi nga nila maybe by August or September medyo lumalapit na iyong bagyo sa land, so it will be faster to kuwan siguro iyong rain intensity – well, hopefully ganoon. But I think the more important thing is actually that we are now planning actually all the components for flood management at this point int time.

PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Pero, pagdating, sir, sa short-term of course hindi na matatanggal sa taumbayan na isipin na posibleng mangyari ito because we’re experiencing La Niña. How confident are we on the effectiveness of what we will be doing on the short-term?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Short-term, I think for Metro Manila, if we’re talking of Metro Manila, i-address lang siguro muna iyong basura so that hindi mabarahan iyong mga waterways ‘no. Sa ngayon kasi, in the short-term, now we are actually rehabilitating some of the major pumping stations in Metro Manila to increase the output capacity ng mga pump – iyong sa pumping stations ‘no. Ang kuwan lang natin dito is how to get the floodwaters to the pumping stations – so, ito iyong sinasabi nga natin na medyo hindi na efficient iyong drainage system ng Metro Manila and this is complicated and exacerbated because of iyong nababarahan nga ng basura.

So, I think ma-address lang muna kaagad iyong pagtatapon ng basura so that it will not clog the available waterways now, I think it would help a lot sa tingin ko at this point in time ‘no, kasi I can assure you that iyong engineering interventions or structures that we have actually already constructed along the Pasig-Marikina River would be enough to safeguard actually iyong hindi mag-overflow ang Pasig River towards the low-lying areas in Metro Manila.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Ivan Mayrina, GMA 7.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Sec., and Chairman, may pinag-uusapan naman po tayo ngayong drainage systems improvement. But in 2012 nag-approve po ang noo’y Public Works Secretary Babes Singson ng master plan at nabanggit po ninyo sa isang interview, wala pang 30 percent na complete more than a decade after. So, are we scrapping that project altogether at ito na naman po iyong gagawin natin? And would we still maintain that iyong lahat po ng pondong ibinigay sa DPWH at sa MMDA for that matter, for flood control has been money well spent?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Sa akin, I think—well, it helped a lot actually, it helped a lot iyong mga initial flood control programs that had been implemented over the years, hindi naman natin sabihin na nasayang lang iyan. And this is evident enough that iyong sinasabi nga natin noong Ondoy, the floodwaters stayed in Metro Manila for more than two weeks.

Ito na ngayon, with some of the flood control projects that were implemented over the years ‘no – iyong engineering interventions and other projects that were implemented – kita naman natin that the floodwaters have receded quite faster than Ondoy ‘no. So, I think it contributed a lot, but again engineering intervention is just one component of flood mitigation problem – it has to be done holistically, ang sinasabi nga natin eh.

Over the years, sinasabi natin from Ondoy to now I think, nandudoon pa rin – the population increased, the economic activities increased, basura increased and so forth and so on. I can assure you that the funds that were put into the infrastructure component have helped a lot in mitigating the flooding problems also in Metro Manila and of course in all other parts of the country kasi ito nga iyong sinasabi ko, the engineering interventions has two parts – the immediate protection of low-lying areas and these are iyong mga immediate flood control projects; and then we’re addressing the holistic flood control programs through the river basin concept, ito iyong river basin concept – so, ito iyong dalawang aspects. But immediate, we need it now – immediate iyong protection of low-lying areas through iyong flood control projects all over the country. Kasi iyong River Basin Program, holistic ito but it may take a little time to implement all the components of the River Basin Program.

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Can I add lang?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yeah. Go ahead, sir.

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Regarding doon kung nasayang ang pera – I don’t think so kasi mayroon din namang mga areas na dati binabaha like iyong Vista Real in Quezon City and LGB. Noon pong Ondoy, halos lagpas tao po ang tubig diyan pero ito pong Bagyong Carina, wala pong baha sa loob ng mga subdivisions na iyan – iyon po ay dahil sa mga flood control measures and projects na na-implement ng DPWH particularly sa Marikina River and Pasig River.

So, even po sa Provident Village sa Marikina, dati lagpas bubong ang tubig diyan, ngayon po hindi. So, nakatulong. Sabi nga, maybe we cannot prevent iyong pagbaha pero we can mitigate and kung pagbabasehan iyong bilis ng pagbaba ng tubig; in fact, iyong lugar sa Metro Manila, matter of hours after na tumigil ang ulan, nawala po iyong tubig-baha. So, doon makikita iyong efficiency noong mga flood control projects na ginagawa ng MMDA at ng DPWH in particular.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Sir, mayroon din pong nagsasabi na nahihirapang makapunta iyong tubig mula sa mga ilog papunta sa Manila Bay dahil daw sa reclamation projects?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: I don’t know. There has to be a scientific basis siguro kung bakit ganoon ang kanilang kuwan because Pasig River is open naman eh, wala namang nakasara sa Pasig River and Tullahan River. There are two waterways in Metro Manila na may conveyance for floodwaters – it’s Pasig River and Tullahan River. And I think, these are free flowing tributaries naman, I mean these are the major rivers at nakikita naman namin na wala naman yatang nakabara sa pagdaloy ng floodwaters along…

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: So, hindi ho naka-aggravate iyong reclamation activities sa mga pagbaha nitong nakaraang linggo?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: I would not know how it aggravated the flood control projects actually at this time.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: Thank you.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ Okay. Tuesday Niu, DZBB.

TUESDAY NIE/DZBB: Hello, sirs and ma’am. To, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes. Sir, ang sabi ni Secretary Bonoan, unahin natin iyong basura, so ano po kayang adjustments ang gagawin ng MMDA para itong mga napakarami pa ring basura hanggang ngayon ay matanggal natin sa mga waterways at hindi na siya mag-cause para umapaw iyong mga drainage natin at magbaha sa loob ng communities?

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Well, unang-una iyong community involvement siguro, kailangan magkaroon na ng pagbabago sa mindset ng ating mga kababayan. Ang mga LGUs po natin dito sa Metro Manila ay regular iyong pagpapahakot ng basura; it’s just that kailangang ilabas sa tamang oras at tamang lugar. Ang problema po sa nao-observe namin, kung kailan umuulan at may baha doon pa isasabay ay iyong pagtatapon noong basura para maanod na lang. At iyon po ay napupunta sa kung saan-saan sa low-lying areas at marami po diyan ang bumabara sa atin pong mga drainage system. Like noon pong kasagsagan ng bagyo, iyon pong EDSA Orense ay nagkaroon ng tubig, noong pinasisid po natin, naalis po iyong bara nawala po iyong tubig.

So, kailangan po namin ng tulong ng mamamayan na maging disiplinado sa pagtatapon ng basura. Whole year round po iyong aming paglilinis ng mga drainage system pero kung paulit-ulit po iyong pagtatapon ng basura ay kahit araw-araw po naming linisin iyan, magkakaroon pa rin po ng pagbabara. So, I think, kailangan po namin ng tulong talaga ng taumbayan na maging disiplinado in so far as basura is concerned.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Mayroon lang akong idagdag. I think itong problema in Metro Manila is not unique in Metro Manila. This is actually the same problems in all the urban areas now in the whole country – Davao, parehas lang ang problema; Cebu. All the big cities in the Philippines now, have the same problem as far as the environmental issues and social issues are concerned, actually. Iyong mga kababayan natin na nandoon sa mga estero, nandoon pa rin.

You know, what is unique is actually, kahit na itong mga nilalagay namin na mga revetment walls, iyong flood control revetment walls, the moment na nagawa namin iyong revetment walls, nandoon na iyong mga bahay on top of the revetment walls, iyong mga ganoon. And these are the vulnerable people na actually na kung minsan nababaha at naapektuhan sa pagbaha. Iyong mga ganoon, there are several issues actually.

MEDENILLA/BUSINESS MIRROR: Good afternoon. For Secretary Bonoan po, balik lang po ako sa na-mention, iyong tanong kanina ni Sir Ivan. Itutuloy pa po ba ng Marcos administration iyong flood control master plan ng Aquino administration, iyong 30%, itutuloy pa rin po ba iyon?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yes. I think this is the master plan that we are implementing. I think wala pa namang pagbabago. I think the components that were laid out in the master plan are still there and this is what we are now implementing actually. Kagaya niyan, iyong drainage, kailangan natin iyong drainage master plan, we have to address iyong environmental issues sa basura and things like these. We have to—actually, in the master plan, sasabihin na rin po natin, kailangan nating magawa iyong Marikina Dam.

Unfortunately po, mayroon nang dam na nagawa doon sa Wawa Dam, that is for water supply. Now, we need to implement other dams on top of the Wawa Dam para ma-store natin iyong mga floodwaters coming from the watershed area of the Sierra Madre, iyon ang masyadong magandang programa.

And then, the concept of that is actually, gagawa rin po kami ng Manggahan Control Gate Structure para iyong tubig baha na nanggagaling sa Sierra Madre, medyo i-impound muna namin sa Laguna Lake para hindi pupunta sa dito Metro Manila low-lying areas but the same time, mayroon po kami iyong isang malaking project, iyong tinatawag naming Parañaque Spillway to draw out the excess water of Manila Bay later on. But all these are the components that we need to install actually.

MEDENILLA/BUSINESS MIRROR: Sir, magkano pa po iyong kakailanganin na budget ng DPWH to complete iyong flood control master plan at saka matatapos po kaya iyon within the current administration o mayroon lang po kayong certain percent na target?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: I think, this is a subject of, well, this is not a subject of—I think we have to look into the resource availability and the economic viability and economic viability of all these components. I think to the best that we can is actually, these are going to be mega projects that we are talking about. And I think it would be all right to start already all these projects.

Dito sa administration, we have, I think three and a half more years effectively to implement all these project and I think, if we can start these projects, that will be carried on in another administration, this would be good enough.

MEDENILLA/BUSINESS MIRROR:  Sir, confident po kaya tayo na over 50%?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: We will try. Actually, we’re just been two years, actually under this administration and I think, we are doing the best that we can actually now, to implement all the necessary flood control projects to mitigate the flooding problems in many parts of the country now.

VALBUENA/DZME: Hello, good afternoon po. Chairman Artes, iyon pong nasirang floodgates sa Navotas, can we finish the repair before the onset of La Niña, perhaps in September or October?  

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Yes, nag-meeting naman kami diyan ng DPWH. May timeline na kaming sinusunod. Right now, ongoing po iyong de-silting noong area around the navigational gate, kasi po hindi siya maitaas masyado, kasi sira nga po iyong linked arm kailangan pong malinis muna iyon pong mga silt na nakakabara kaya hindi namin maiangat iyong navigational gate using cranes; ayaw naman naming puwersahin dahil baka po masira iyong mismong gate.

So, ang timeline po natin, two weeks po iyong pagdi-desilt, pero habang naman pong dini-desilt iyong area, ginagawa naman po iyong fabrication ng nasirang piyesa para as soon as maiangat po siya, maikabit po in a week or two. So, more or less mga one month po iyong timeline natin, weather permitting.

Kasi nga po like itong bumagyo, medyo malakas po iyong current, hindi po nakapagtrabaho iyong mga gumagawa. So, hopefully ngayon po, low tide doon sa area so mas mabilis-bilis po iyong trabaho at mina-maximize naman po natin. DPWH po ang nagpapagawa niyan in coordination po with MMDA.

VALBUENA/DZME: Sir, mayroon na po tayong naisip na temporary solution para maharang iyong tubig habang hindi pa po tuluyang nasasara iyong gate, katulad po noong tinanong ni President Marcos last week doon sa Situation Briefing.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Well, ito nga iyong sabi ni Presidente, if there is a way actually maharang iyong tubig, but I think we are looking at a possible engineering intervention at this point in time kasi sasarahan mo iyong Manila Bay, actually to get into—medyo, it’s going to be challenging to impede iyong pag-flow ng water, especially iyong low-lying areas in Malabon and Navotas are susceptible to high tide kaya iyon ang problema natin, actually.

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: Besides kung may makuhang engineering intervention, baka tapos na iyong repair bago ma-implement iyon. So, I think ang pinakamaganda pa rin ay iyong pag-repair talaga noong navigational gate. Pero iyong long-term solution diyan, kasi nag original plan diyan ay dalawa talagang gates eh. So bubuksan, papasok iyong mga barko at bangka, isasara; then, bubuksan iyong second gate.

But because of lack of funding before, isa lang iyong nagawa. So, ang long term solution talaga diyan ay gawin iyong isa pang floodgate para kung masira man ang isa, mayroon pa ring haharang na isa habang ginagawa. So, I think iyong best option pa rin is for the immediate repair noong nasirang navigational gate.

VALBUENA/DZME: So, sir, for now, habang hindi pa fully repaired iyong floodgate, iyong residents ng Navotas, Malabon and Valenzuela, they can expect the same flood that they experience last week, if ever po magkaroon ulit tayo ng heavy rains?

MMDA CHAIRMAN ARTES: I think sa high tide pa lang nagkakaroon na ng tubig ngayon doon sa tatlong barangay sa Malabon at dalawa sa Navotas. So, kung masasabayan iyan ng pagbagyo at malakas na pag-ulan, mas mataas iyong tubig diyan sa area na iyan. So, yes I think, habang ginagawa iyan, hindi po maiiwasan iyong pagbaha doon sa Malabon at Navotas.

DMS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: This is an opportune time to also bring up that the DOST has a website called hazardhunter.ph, it’s open to everyone. You can put your address there and see the risks involved, whether it’s flooding or earthquake-prone areas. So, please have a look at it and check already and be aware of the risks in the areas where you live in.

Now, we have room for one more question, Evelyn Quiroz, please of Pilipino Mirror.

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR: Good afternoon, Secretary Bonoan. Na-mention po ninyo iyong Marikina Dam na kailangang gawin on top of Wawa. Ano pong status nito, ginagawa na po ba or hindi pa?        

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Under the Japan International Cooperation Agency funding, I think these are now being prepared. Magkakaroon lang tayo ng engineering studies and feasibility studies to determine actually what type of dams that we have to construct  and how much it will cost and soon after, I think the Japan International Cooperation Agency  is  willing to provide the necessary funding for it.

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR:  So, this year po ito, Sec.?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: It may not be this year immediately to be implemented, because we are going to prepare the plans muna, and with all the detail engineering design – by next year siguro ito.

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR: Sec., follow-up lang po. Iyon pong na-mention ninyo na Manggahan Control Gate Structure, part po ba ito ng Manggahan Floodway?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yes.

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR: And during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., iyan po ang tawag eh, Floodway Number 1, ‘di po ba may number two rin?

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yes.

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR: Iyong number two po ba, may plano pang … kasi po maganda po iyong project na iyon.

DPWH SEC. BONOAN: This will be a new facility, actually iyong sinasabi ko ngayon, this will be the new facility na floodway. Nabanggit mo rin iyong plano noong panahon pa ni former President Marcos, actually, iyong Marikina Dam and the Parañaque Spillway has already been there in the plan during the time of the former President, actually nandodoon..

QUIROZ/PILIPINO MIRROR: Kaya nga po eh, kaya nga po ako masyadong interesado dahil iyong area po namin is Cainta, sobrang baha hanggang leeg po ang tubig. Thank you po, Secretary.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: I think this concludes our press briefing. Thank you so much to Malacañang Press Corps. And thank you, Secretary Bonoan and Chairman Artes.  Maraming salamat po.

 

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