Rains, flash floods ‘hinder’ gov’t efforts to ease traffic–Palace

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Malacañang clarified that the heavy traffic experienced by commuters and motorists on Tuesday evening was caused by torrential rainfall and widespread flooding in the metropolis and not by failed efforts of concerned agencies to ease Metro Manila traffic.

“Government’s efforts to improve traffic flow along Edsa and major thoroughfares were greatly hindered last night by heavy rains and flash floods that were experienced during the rush hour of homeward-bound commuting,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement.

“These slowed down the movement of vehicles and resulted in gridlock in flooded areas with stalled vehicles.  It was only past 11 p.m. when the flash floods subsided and normal flow of vehicles resumed,” he said.

READ: Rains spawned by thunderstorm pummel Metro Manila | IN PHOTOS: Heavy rains flood parts of Metro Manila

Coloma again sought the “kind understanding” of Filipinos, especially those who were stranded.

He said Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson has already ordered the “clearing and expanding” of the holding capacity of drainage systems.

The Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group, which was recently deployed to address Edsa traffic, had also supposedly helped divert vehicles to alternate routes.

“MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said that traffic enforcers were deployed even past midnight to assist in normalizing traffic flow,” Coloma said.

On Tuesday evening, many roads in Makati were no longer passable because of knee- or waist-deep flooding. A lot of commuters and motorists were stranded or were caught up in heavy traffic because of the floods.

Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras earlier lauded the work of the PNP-HPG. He said the traffic situation in Metro Manila requires the “whole of government” approach and the participation of several government agencies.

“The past two days are proof that the initial steps being taken to ease the traffic situation were effective, and government will continue to strive to improve our interaction and interoperability among concerned government agencies,” he claimed. Kristine Angeli Sabillo, INQUIRER.net