THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday gave assurances that all pumping stations will be fully operational as the agency gears up for the rainy season.
MMDA Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. on Wednesday also inspected Tripa de Gallina, the agency’s biggest pumping station, in Pasay and the revetment wall at the flood-prone Provident Village in Marikina City.
Abalos said the Tripa de Gallina pumping station, the oldest in Metro Manila, and all other pumping stations operated by the MMDA are fully operational with necessary power and fuel in place.
Aside from the regular maintenance of the pumping stations, desilting and dredging of rivers are also regularly conducted to prevent flooding.
Abalos said that he is discussing plans of putting up garbage nets along rivers and tributaries in Pasay so that trash will not end up at the pumping stations, causing them damage.
Likewise, he appealed to the public to properly dispose of garbage, which usually causes flooding woes.
“Discipline in segregating garbage and proper disposal are keys to fully address the problems brought by floods. We also urge the local government units to strictly enforce the anti-littering ordinances and encourage recycling among residents to lessen the volume of garbage,” he said.
Abalos also visited the ongoing construction of a perimeter retaining wall at Provident Village in Marikina, which will help stop the sudden flow of water coming from the Sierra Madre mountain range. The city is a catch basin of water coming from Quezon City and the province of Rizal, making it flood-prone.
“We’ve rebuilt and reinforced the wall to make sure that it can withstand heavy rains and protect the residents from flood which can reach as high as a two-storey house,” he explained.
Acknowledging the efforts of the local government unit, Abalos thanked Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano and Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro for their initiatives and coordination with the MMDA to make sure that the torrential rains do not cause severe damage in the National Capital Region.
“There’s no alternative to unity among the mayors and stronger coordination with MMDA,” he said.
Read full article on BusinessMirror