Makati gov’t sees less floods this rainy season

The city government of Makati is confident that flooding this coming rainy season will be eased, if not totally eradicated, following the repair and improvement of most drainage canals in the city.

According to the report of the city’s Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), its drainage improvement project covered 631.94 kilometers of the city’s drainage system in 2013 and another 17.76 kilometers in the first four months of the year.

Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr. said he had ordered the DEPW to step up the repair and installation of new concrete pipes in the drainage system, particularly in flood-prone streets in low-lying barangays to prevent or minimize flooding.

“Although it may not be possible to totally prevent floods in low-lying areas when the rains come, improved drainage will allow floods to recede faster.  As of last year, we already noted faster receding time of floodwaters from 10 to 15 minutes, whereas before, it took about 30 minutes to an hour,” Binay said in a statement on Sunday.

The city engineering department reported that as
of April, it had completed land improvement projects consisting of drainage improvement, concreting and concrete reblocking in 16 barangays.

It also finished working on  the improvement and dredging of a portion of the Makati Diversion Channel spanning the barangays of San Lorenzo, Bel-Air and San Antonio.