Residents of Tumana Village in Marikina deal with heavy flooding on July 24, 2024 as heavy rains brought about by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by Typhoon Carina flooded many parts of Metro Manila. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Residents of Tumana Village in Marikina deal with heavy flooding on July 24, 2024 as heavy rains brought about by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by Typhoon Carina flooded many parts of Metro Manila. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Improper trash disposal and the high tide exacerbated the widespread flooding that the habagat and typhoon Carina triggered in Metro Manila, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Friday.

“Nataon po na nung kalakasan po ng ulan ay sabay din po naman na nag-high tide kaya nga po itong mga nasa tabi po ng ating mga coastal areas, tulad po nung ating Camanava (Caloocan,Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela),” DPWH-Metro Manila Director Loreta Malaluan said.

Trash that accumulated in waterways slowed the drainage process, Malaluan told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

“Yung sobrang basura din po sa ating mga waterways ang isang dahilan kaya po medyo mabagal po na lumabas yung ating tubig-baha,” she said.

DPWH’s flood control infrastructure, including pumping stations, could not handle the unprecedented volume of water, Malaluan said.

“Tumaas po ang mga lebel ng tubig natin po sa ating mga waterways… Ang isa nga po diyan dito [ang] Pasig-Marikina River.. Ganoon din po dito sa La Mesa Dam,” the official said.

“Medyo ang mga flood control projects po natin, especially po yung ating pumping stations na hindi po sila napagana nang husto, dahil nga po mas mataas yung lebel ng tubig na paglalabasan ng mga napu-pump nila na mga tubig-baha kaysa po dun sa elevation natin dito sa pumping station.”

Malaluan said the DPWH is committed to completing ongoing flood control projects and improving infrastructure to better manage weather events.

She noted that the construction of floodgates and channel improvements were ongoing, especially in critical areas like the Pasig-Marikina River and Manggahan Floodway.

The Senate is set to investigate flood control systems.

Senate President Francis Escudero has questioned the effectiveness of flood control measures and the use of the substantial budget allocated for these projects.

He said around P255 billion was allocated for DPWH flood control projects, which Escudero previously criticized as disproportionately large compared to other critical sectors.