Short-term flood mitigation projects worth
P5-billion to be completed this year, says DPWH
Acting on President Benigno S. Aquino III’s
directives to come up with a permanent solution to control flooding in the
country, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Monday that
short-term flood mitigation projects worth P5-billion will be completed within
the year.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio
Singson told a press conference in Malacañang that these short term flood
mitigation projects, which forms part of the flood control master plan, will
entail the repair and rehabilitation of dike structures in Metro Manila and
Central Luzon.
“Well, ang matatapos agad diyan... ang mga
pag-aayos ng mga nasirang dike— (will be completed in) three to six months.
Kasi ang iba namang nasira maiikli lang. Halimbawa, doon sa San Fernando,
(Pampanga) ‘yung tinatawag nilang tail dike ay 50 to 70 meters lang. So it
should be finished. But we have a long list of identified high impact priority
projects worth P5-billion. ‘Yun ang unang-una naming bubunuin,” Singson said.
Aside from the aforementioned tail dike in
Pampanga, Singson said that rehabilitation and improvement of the
Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan river dikes as well as those located in
municipalities along Laguna Lake such as Cainta and Rizal provinces are
included in the short term flood plan.
He added that the water pumping system of Metro
Manila is aging and needs proper upgrade to effectively drain out flood waters
to the various tributaries around the metropolis.
“Ang tatanda na nitong mga pumping system ng
Metro Manila and some of them are… The pumps that we’ve been using there are
already obsolete. Wala na ngang spare parts na mabili riyan. So they need to be
upgraded,” Singson said.
“Now, other immediate projects are the upgrading
of the pumping systems in Metro Manila which is the responsibility of
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as well as clearing the
waterways. This is a major intervention that needs to be done because the major
cause of flooding is the overtopping, overflowing of the river systems,” he
added. (rck)
Public Works and Highways Secretary Singson bares
flood master plan for Metro Manila and surrounding areas
The Aquino administration has already framed a
flood master plan for Metro Manila and surrounding areas in a bid to reduce the
vulnerability of Metro Manila and outlying provinces to flooding during heavy
rains, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson said on Monday.
The Flood Management Master Plan for Metro
Manila and surrounding areas was developed to address the massive flooding to
protect the lives of the people as well as reduce damages to properties, said
Secretary Singson during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.
The master plan will serve as the government's
road map and vision in managing floods until year 2035.
"Gusto ko lang ipaabot sa inyo kung ano ang
natapos na naming master plan for Metro Manila and the surrounding areas, and
this includes the whole Laguna Lake. Ngayon tinatapos pa namin ‘yung Region
III," Singson said.
"Ang total area na pinag-aralan na namin ay
4,354 square kilometers and this includes the river basins of Pasig-Marikina
and Laguna Lake. We want flood management on a river basin approach. Ibig
sabihin ayaw naming pasundot-sundot sa downstream but look at the whole river
basin and address the flooding on a permanent basis," he said.
Singson said they also came out with the
proposed target flood safety levels for mitigation measures.
'Now, ang pinagbabasehan ng master plan is what
we refer to as safety levels. Halimbawa, in the last ‘Ondoy‘, ‘yung tinatawag
nating two-day rainfall event, ang pinakamataas na nangyari dito sa
Pasig-Marikina... over the last several years was ‘Ondoy,'" he said .
"Dito naman sa Tullahan at saka Malabon,
ang 45-year event, ‘Ondoy’ din; dito sa Meycauayan, it’s a 40-year event,
‘Ondoy’ din. Pero dito sa Laguna Lake the highest level happened in 1972,"
he said.
He noted that the target flood safety levels of
the master plan are set equal or slightly higher than the magnitude of the
recorded maximum floods.
Singson explained that the target flood safety
level for Pasig-Marikina River is 100-year return period, Malabon-Tullahan
(50-year), Meycauayan River (50-year), South Paranaque-Las Pinas River
(30-year), Inflow Rivers to Laguna Lake (30-year) and Laguna Lake (60-year).
"So we’re upgrading our design standards
pati na rin ang mga drainage systems sa mga siyudad. As we upgrade or as we
improve or repair roads, sinasama na ang drainage system," he said.
Singson assured that the project would be able
to mitigate the risks of flooding in disaster-prone places in Metro Manila and
other surrounding areas.
He, however, explained that there are still
areas which remain to be prone to floods.
"That is what we refer to as a natural
catchment or natural floodplain. Kahit na anong gawin natin dadaan at dadaan
ang tubig riyan... and we saw that yesterday," Singson said.
"Therefore, the intention is not to have
any settlements in these floodplains. Dapat walang kabahayan diyan because they
are expected to be flooded every time there’s rain," he said. (js)
Aquino declares August 25 as special non-working
day in Iloilo City in celebration of its 75th Charter Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
August 25 which falls on a Saturday as a special (non-working) day in the City
of Iloilo in celebration of its 75th Charter Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration,
through Proclamation No. 430 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on July 11, to give the people of Iloilo the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
On July 16, 1937, the municipality of Iloilo and
the surrounding towns of Lapaz, Mandurriao, Molo and Arevalo were incorporated
to form the City of Iloilo by virtue Commonwealth Act No.158.
Iloilo was inaugurated into a city on August 25,
1937. (js)
Aquino declares August 20 as a regular holiday
in observance of 'Eid'l Fitr' or Feast of Ramadan
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
August 20 which falls on a Monday as a regular holiday throughout the country
in observance of Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadan).
The Chief
Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 455 signed on August
13 by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., in line with Republic Act No.
9177 that declared Eid’l Fitr or Feast of Ramadan as a regular holiday
throughout the country.
Eid’l
Fitr is celebrated by the Muslim World for three (3) days after the end of the
month of fasting.
“To
promote cultural understanding and integration, the entire Filipino nation
should have the full opportunity to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in
the observance and celebration of Eid’l Fitr,” President Aquino said.
“In order
to bring the religious and cultural significance of the Eid’l Fitr to the fore
of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Monday, August 20, as a
regular holiday throughout the country,” he said.
Ramadan
is the month when Muslims observe a strict fast for a period of 12 hours daily,
from sunrise to sunset.
Ramadan
is also a month of sacrifice and purification as the Muslims worldwide fast,
pray and act with kindness towards the poor and less fortunate. (js)
