Metro Manila floods triggered by politics

Manila: A government executive blamed local politics as one of the indirect causes of flooding that affect certain Metro Manila suburbs during the rainy season.

Department of Public Works and Highways secretary Rogelio Singson said politics figured as one of the causes of Metro Manila’s headaches citing how elected local representatives had tried to prevent officials from relocating anauthorised settlers whose dwellings block the flow of waterways.

“We had wanted to clear waterways but I’ll be honest with you, there were politicians who appealed to us not to implement the relocation programme before the elections,” Singson said in a palace press briefing.

The Philippines held its mid-term elections last May 13 and, apparently, politicians tried to prevent the removal of illegal settlers in hazard areas because they are considered a major votebank.

It may be recalled that recent seasonal rains brought in by tropical storm Leepoi (locally known as Emong) had caused severe flooding in Metro Manila, particularly in the capital city as well as Quezon City, San Juan, Paranaque and Pasay cities. Seasonal inundation continues to frustrate Metro Manila residents as they not only have to contend with having to trudge through dirty floodwater, but also have to bear horrendous traffic jams.

CRACKDOWN

Singson said the government will now strictly implement the law preventing squatters from setting up their dwellings in hazard areas even if this means demolishing their houses. The official said local government officials are mandated by law to keep the waterways free from illegal settlers for two reasons: one is that they block the water passageways and thus cause flooding and, secondly, because the lives of these people living in the waterways are always at risks during the rainy season.

During the palace briefing, Singson reiterated the government’s commitment to clear some 19,440 informal settlers living in the hazard areas and waterways this year.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary Ramon Carandang, for his part, said concerned government agencies are ensuring safe and permanent housing sites and livelihood programmes for families living in the so-called “danger zones.”

“Out of that 100,000, there is about 60,000 families living in waterways in and around Metro Manila,” he said.

MASTER PLAN

Singson said the government is working on a “master plan” that will ultimately solve Metro Manila’s flooding woes as well as traffic congestion.

Singson said the master plan will cover a total area of over 4,000 square kilometres and involve about 17 million people.

Among the areas covered will be Metro Manila, parts of Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, and the whole catchment basin of Laguna Lake, Singson said.

Meanwhile, as Leepi exited the country on Wednesday evening, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) is monitoring the presence of a new weather disturbance.

An 11am bulletin issued by Pagasa said tropical depression ‘Fabian’ will dump moderate to heavy rains and will affect the northwestern parts of the country.