TWO days after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that about over 5,000 flood control projects being completed, Metro Manila and neighboring provinces were heavily flooded due to Typhoon Carina accompanied by the Southwest Monsoon.
Former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares said that on July 22, Marcos proudly mentioned in his SONA that 5,500 flood control projects had been completed and many more were in progress.
“Bahang-baha pala sa Bagong Pilipinas! Ito ba ang ipinagmamalaki ni Pres. Marcos Jr. noong SONA nya nung Lunes na napakarami na daw na nagawang flood control projects,” Colmenares asked.
The former lawmaker blames no one else but the reclamation projects in Manila Bay for this problem, which although inherited by Marcos, he allowed to continue even though he knew it would worsen flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
“No matter what flood control project you do or cleaning up of garbage in the rivers, if the water is blocked or filled with reclamation, it will surely flood, and this is what is happening now,” Colmenares added.
It is no longer surprising that houses in Malabon, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Marikina, Caloocan, and even in Rizal have completely submerged because the reclamation projects are blocking the flow of water from the Manila Bay, the rainwater conduit. Because of this, there is a renewed call to stop the reclamation projects because aside from losing their livelihood, fishermen are at risk and the lives and properties of people are in danger every time it rains.
“It’s clear that these projects are exacerbating the vulnerability of our communities to climate-related disasters. The government must prioritize the safety and well-being of its people over profit-driven development,” Colmenares concluded.
