Manila expressway 'impassable' to small vehicles as of Aug. 31, up to 6 ft of floodwaters hit low-lying areas of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac

MANILA: Several provinces north of Manila were placed under a state of calamity, while thousands were moved to government evacuation centres after persistent monsoon rains damaged key infrastructure, including two bridges in Tarlac City.

Meanwhile, the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the main artery that connects Metro Manila with northern provinces, has become "impassable" to small vehicles as flooding triggered by the southwest monsoon, or "habagat", has dumped heavy-to-intense rain over Central Luzon for several days, local media reported on Monday.

Pagasa said Tarlac and Pampanga could receive 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall on Monday, Aug. 31, with flash floods and landslides still possible in vulnerable areas, weathermen warned.

Tropical Depression Pilandok, along with two tropical depressions outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, has enhanced the monsoon.

The provinces Pampanga Bulacan and Tarlac — spanning 7,843 square kilometres, about 10 times the size of Singapore, and bigger than the US state of Delaware — was among the provinces placed under heightened rainfall alerts on Sunday.

Weather bureau Pagasa issued a red rainfall warning, the highest level, indicating serious flooding is expected in flood-prone areas, for several Pampanga localities, including Mabalacat, Angeles, Bacolor, Guagua, Lubao, Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin, Porac and Sasmuan.

San Fernando and Mexico were placed under an orange alert, which means flooding remains threatening.

All church services at The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando were cancelled from Friday till Sunday (Aug. 30) after floodwater and silt entered the church compound, with its patio and nearby roads still underwater.

Authorities are also racing to contain damage to flood-control structures.

In Lubao, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the dredging of the Gumain River after a dike collapsed, while Pampanga officials planned to deploy more thousands of sandbags at a damaged tail dike in Minalin.

Two major malls also shut their doors on Sunday: SM City Pampanga, which sits along the San Fernando-Mexico boundary, and SM City San Fernando Downtown.

As of Monday, the weather bureau Pagasa said occasional heavy rain could still affect San Fernando, Mexico, Bacolor, Guagua, Lubao, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Candaba, Arayat and other Pampanga towns within hours

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents, farmers and fisherfolk took to the streets of Malolos on Monday, August 31, as anger over persistent flooding and alleged corruption in flood-control projects boiled over.

The protest, dubbed “Kilos Bulacan,” brought together roughly 500 to 600 people from several groups, according to reports.

Protesters gathered near the Malolos Amphitheater and City Hall area before moving toward the provincial Capitol, with some wading through floodwaters as they marched.

Their message was blunt: “We are fed up with corruption.”

Placards carried demands for an end to alleged corruption in flood-control projects, greater accountability and a review of reclamation projects that protesters say have worsened flooding in parts of Bulacan.

The protest comes as Bulacan remains under a province-wide state of calamity following widespread flooding linked to the enhanced southwest monsoon and recent tropical cyclones.

The provincial government said all of Bulacan was placed under the calamity declaration after extensive damage to communities, farms, fisheries and infrastructure.

As of August 23, the province had reported about ₱320.28 million in damage, including ₱180 million in infrastructure losses, according to the provincial government.

Several areas, including Malolos, Calumpit, Hagonoy, Bocaue, Balagtas, Paombong, Bulakan and Meycauayan, were still affected by flooding.

Floodwaters in some communities have reached six feet, while thousands of residents have been displaced.

For groups joining Monday's rally, the problem is not only unfinished or allegedly anomalous flood-control works.

Farmers and fisherfolk groups have also opposed reclamation projects, arguing that changes to waterways and coastal areas may worsen flooding and threaten livelihoods.

Protesters say communities should not have to bear the cost when public money is spent on projects that fail to protect them.

Government officials, however, have stressed that flooding in Bulacan has multiple causes.

President Marcos said the unprecedented strength of the rains and the effects of climate change must also be considered alongside flood-control planning.

His administration has proposed longer-term measures including five Sabo river dams and a possible 100-km dike road along Manila Bay.