MMDA flood-control project to be inaugurated Tuesday

MANILA — A flood-control project of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), which is expected to reduce flooding in Barangay Pio Del Pilar and other nearby areas, is set to be inaugurated this coming Tuesday, along Don Bosco in Makati City.

MMDA flood control office chief Baltazar Melgar said the reinforced concrete box culvert (RCBC) was constructed along Don Bosco Street where floodwater going to the Estero de Tripa de Gallina was usually trapped.

“The water cannot flow to the creek and to our pumping station because the drainage is blocked by the elevation of the South Superhighway and the Philippine National Railways (PNR) track,” Melgar added.

The flood control office head explained that the existing waterway in the area, the Makati Diversion Channel, had a limited capacity, thus causing flooding along Dela Rosa Street and other areas in Brgy. Pio del Pilar.

“To augment the existing waterway, the MMDA decided to put a drainage box culvert in the area. This project is expected to improve the flow of floodwater into the creek,” Melgar said.

He explained why it took the agency about three years to complete the three-phased project. “It was a bit hard to complete because it crossed the South Superhighway and some pipelines had to be moved,” he noted.

Aside from this effort, the agency claimed that they would continue cleaning creeks in Metro Manila before the start of the rainy season.

“Since we started last week, we were able to collect 110 truckloads (1,200 cubic meters) of garbage and silt,” Melgar said.

The MMDA started with the north and south Antipolo open canal and Estero de Kabulusan, both in Manila. The agency collected garbage mostly composed of plastic bottles, styrofoam and even car parts.

“We already asked barangay officials to help us clear the roads adjacent to these creeks from obstructions like stalls for us to be able to clear them properly,” Melgar said.

The MMDA has announced it will ask the Office of the Ombudsman’s help in suing barangay (village) officials who allow the waterways to be polluted again after repeated cleanup by the MMDA.

Should the MMDA find those waterways again clogged with garbage, it would report this to the Ombudsman and “it will be up to that office to determine the liability of the negligent barangay officials,” MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos said.  SFM