Marcos eyes building weirs to reduce flood risk in PH

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. holds a situation briefing on the effects of Super Typhoon Carina on Thursday, July 25. Screenshot from RTVM/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday ordered the conduct of a study on building weirs, which can control water flow from the Sierra Madre and reduce flood risk in Rizal province and Metro Manila.

Marcos made the pronouncement during a situation briefing in San Mateo, tackling the effects of Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon in Rizal province.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, a weir is a small barrier or a small-scale dam built across a stream or river to control the water level by raising it slightly on the upstream side. It is used to prevent flooding, measure water flow, and hold water, with the impounded water used in towns, homes, industry, or irrigation.

During the briefing, Marcos cited unimpeded water flow from Sierra Madre as one of the causes of the severe flooding in Rizal and Metro Manila.

“Iyong weir kasi, pagka wala namang tubig — like now, sinasabi ni governor, wala ka nang makitang tubig doon sa ilog — so, bakit pa tayo maglalagay ng dam? If there’s a weir, pinapadaan niya ang tubig pero…binabagalan ‘yung takbo,” he explained.

(The function of the weir is, when there is no water — like now, you won’t see any water in the river — so, why should we put up a dam? If there’s a weir, it lets the water flow but it slows the flow.)

“I don’t see a weir here in this country which is parang bagay na bagay sa atin ‘yun. Maybe it’s applicable here in the Philippines. I think it might be because I’ve seen it in other places and although the water passes, mababa ‘yung tubig dito sa baba, mas mataas ‘yung tubig doon sa taas. Pero dumadaan ‘yung tubig, pati isda nakakadaan,” he added.

(I don’t see a weir in this country, and it seems to be appropriate for us. Maybe it’s applicable here in the Philippines. I think it might be because I’ve seen it in other places and although the water passes, the water is low here at the bottom, the water is higher up top. But the water flows, and even fish can pass.)

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan told the President that the previous plan was to build the Marikina Dam to control flood waters from the Sierra Madre, but it has been reconsidered because of the construction of the Wawa Dam.

Marcos earlier stressed the need to integrate water flow management in the country’s flood prevention projects, both locally and nationally.

READ: ‘Water flow management’ will control floods, Marcos tells LGUs