MOST, IF NOT all, the flood control projects erected haphazardly sans coordination with local government units, have led to more flooding in the metropolis and major population centers.
It was not just Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte who lambasted the Department of Public Works and Highways for its arrogance and refusal to coordinate and plan such projects with LGUs. Many more LGUs are voicing their frustration over DPWH for the ill-planned and defective flood control projects.
The attitude of a national government office, like DPWH, stems from the fact that since they are the ones funding the project, they owe no one an explanation, help and guidance. These national agencies also think that they do not need to seek permits from LGUs to build or destroy anything within the LGU’s jurisdiction.
‘The attitude of a national government office, like DPWH, stems from the fact that since they are the ones funding the project, they owe no one an explanation, help and guidance.’
JOY’S LAMENT
In an interview with Business World, Belmonte mentioned 254 flood control projects implemented by DPWH, none of which acquired a certificate of coordination (COC) from the mayor’s office before construction.
Although the city’s ordinance has worked well with vertical projects (buildings), flood control projects have not applied for COC and were not coordinated. “That’s why I do not know about the flood control projects,” said Belmonte.
“As a mayor, I always think we have a law and they will respect it because they are part of the government, but they did not follow it when it comes to flood control. In 2022, the QC government implemented an ordinance that requires every government-funded project to coordinate with the city’s infrastructure committee prior to construction,” she explained.
“It’s important that if there’s a project from the national government in our city, it aligns with the city’s plans. But if we’re not aware of the projects, there’s the threat of wasting public funds, duplication or overlapping, and it may also be inconsistent with the city’s plans,” she stressed.
PUMPING STATION
Belmonte cited the Matalahib Creek pumping station, built over a creek, as one project that violated the city’s ordinance and Water Code.
“We wrote letters to them to halt the project and discuss first if it’s right to continue, but they did not stop and continued it. Now it caused much more flooding to its surrounding barangays,” she vented.
“If there were more coordination with us… We could’ve worked together to come up with a better flood control solution,” she added.
TERMINATE IT
The P350-million Matalahib Creek pumping station project in Barangay Talayan is being petitioned by the QC government to be terminated immediately.
“I’m pushing to terminate it since it’s still in phase one, and they are blocking the creek,” the city’s mayor said. “Demolish what was built on the creek, and the remaining P250 million let us implement a different intervention for flood control.”
OUTDATED FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS
She said the flood control projects by the DPWH are undersized and outdated, based on the assessment of urban planner and globally-renowned architect, Felino A. Palafox, Jr.
“It’s outdated. 75 percent are undersized. Because it’s 25-year return, the 100-year typhoons are now happening every year,” Palafox explained.
“They are not designed for a 100-year return of flooding in typhoons,” he added.
Palafox said that the government must review its existing flood control design to improve efficiency. “They need to revisit the solutions established in the mid-70s and continuously upgrade them.”
IGNORED RECOMMENDATIONS
Palafox said he gave 150 recommendations to President Marcos Jr. to help improve the flood control and urban planning in Metro Manila, but they were ignored.
“From Marcos Sr. to Digong, I was invited to Malacañang. This one, never. I even write to him every week, texted him one time, to say ‘corruption is worse now because there’s no more factor of fear.”
Early this month, Marcos said that flood control projects nationwide had cost P545 billion in public funds since July 2022. Of these projects, around 20 percent or P100 billion, went to only 15 contractors. Out of those 15 contractors, five have contracts covering the entire Philippines.”