Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Flood Control personnel unclog the drainage system on Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Sta. Cruz, Manila, as part of the agency’s efforts to ease flooding in the flood-prone area during the rainy season. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
To help alleviate the flooding problem that hits Metro Manila streets whenever there is a downpour, a total of 12 mobile pumps and three dewatering trailer trucks have been pre-positioned by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in flood-prone areas in the metropolis to help water levels go down much faster.
Following Wednesday’s heavy downpour that tied up traffic for several hours in different parts of Metro Manila due to floods, MMDA chair Francis Tolentino ordered the deployment of the mobile pumping equipment to low-lying areas.
“Our main focus last week was the stretch of Edsa from Taft in Pasay City to Monumento in Caloocan City but we also placed teams in other areas, including España and Burgos in Manila and along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City,” MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office head Maxima Quiambao said.
She added that some of the equipment were positioned on Julia Vargas Avenue in Ortigas (near SM Megamall) and Santolan Road in Quezon City. The others were deployed to the Osmeña Highway-Skyway in Makati; North Luzon Expressway-Balintawak Cloverleaf; Don Bosco, Makati; C-5 Bagong Ilog in Pasig City; and West Service Road, Merville, in Parañaque City.
Quiambao said that the MMDA had also adjusted the steel bars in drainage inlets in flooded areas to let the water level go down much faster.
In July, the MMDA released a list of the most flood-prone areas in the metropolis which included España, Antipolo, Maceda, P. Burgos, Manila City Hall, R. Papa to Rizal Avenue, all in Manila; Osmeña to Skyway, Don Bosco University area, Gil Puyat Avenue-South Superhighway, Chino Roces Avenue to Magallanes tunnel, all in Makati; Edsa to North Avenue, Philcoa, Biak na Bato/Quezon Avenue-Victory Avenue, Edsa to Camp Aguinaldo Gate 3 and North Avenue, all in Quezon City; C-5 to Bagong Ilog in Pasig City; West Service Road, Merville, C5-McKinley Road in Pasay City; Edsa-SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City and C-5 to BCDA in Taguig.
Quiambao, however, explained that three areas were removed from the list, namely, Edsa North Avenue and Philcoa both in Quezon City; and C-5 McKinley Road in Pasay City. On the other hand, Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City recently made the list.
The MMDA said that drainage projects in the three areas had been completed, resulting in reduced flooding. It added that it would continue cleaning clogged drainage inlets in the metropolis. With report by Maricar B. Brizuela
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