Marcos inspects damaged Navotas navigational gate

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to hasten the repair of the Tangos-Tanza navigational gate in Navotas to prevent excessive flooding similar to what happened the past few days.

The President visited the city yesterday to check on the flood situation, as well as the condition of displaced residents staying in a school as a temporary shelter.

The navigational gate has been under maintenance since last year, after a barge forced its way through even during low tide.

According to Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan, the repair works should be finished by Aug. 8. It should have been completed last July 20, if not for the recent heavy rains, he added.

“The President directed us a while ago to speed up the additional protection works for the retaining walls in the area near Manila Bay so that once they are completed, the high tide, at least, would no longer enter,” Bonoan told reporters in an interview.

He gave assurance that funding for the repair of the gate is available until next year.

Michael Doce, chief of the Pumping Station and Flood Gates Division of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office, noted that a pumping station controls the entry of seawater from Manila Bay and minimizes flood levels during high tide.

The navigational gate, a key component of the MMDA flood control and sewerage management process, can be closed to prevent seawater from reaching inland communities.

“Once the gate is shut, the pumping station begins operation, discharging floodwaters back into Manila Bay,” Doce was quoted by a Palace statement as saying.

“We cannot prevent the flood, but we can minimize it,” he added.

Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco briefed Marcos on the flooding situation in the city during the inspection of the facility.

Marcos then proceeded to the Tanza National High School, where more than 500 persons or about 160 families affected by recent floods are staying.

He interacted with some of the evacuees and led the distribution of relief assistance.

The President was supposed to visit the Bacolod Integrated School evacuation centers in Pampanga, but it was canceled because of bad weather. However, he conducted an aerial inspection of the area.

Plan in place

The floodgate could have prevented widespread flooding in Camanava caused by inclement weather and high tide, but it has been out of operation since May due to welds on its left side failing quality tests.

Its malfunction led to flooding in parts of Navotas in June when a wall within a shipyard collapsed during high tide.

Now, it also failed to contain floodwaters that affected Malabon and Navotas during heavy rains the past week. Both cities are now under a state of calamity.

Bonoan said a plan is in place to replace the damaged floodgate.

“That would take some time, although we already have in the department a plan and how to finance it,” he noted.

“We’re looking at a more permanent solution to ease flooding in Navotas, which has become persistent for so many years,” the DPWH secretary added.

The DPWH plans to quickly add protection measures on retaining walls to prevent water from entering inner communities during high tide.

As of yesterday morning, over 1,500 families or 5,500 individuals in Navotas remain in 17 evacuation centers.

The city social welfare and development office reported that four centers in Barangay Tanza 2 – Admin Building, Holy Grace Church, MovEd Learning Lab and Pabahay Navohomes Multipurpose Building – do not have the capacity to take in more evacuees.

In Malabon, nearly 700 families are still staying in evacuation centers, according to the city’s most recent update.

Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval has advised residents to be vigilant for waterborne diseases, such as dengue and leptospirosis. The city health department is distributing doxycycline to those who have been in direct contact with floodwaters.

Meanwhile, Valenzuela evacuees are starting to go home, with only 145 families or 516 individuals left in evacuation centers, according to a 3 p.m. update by the city government. — EJ Macababbad