The Metro Manila Development Authority has resumed its cleanup operation of all clogged creeks and open waterways in line with its anti-flood measure in the National Capital Region.
The latest operation was conducted by the MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management Service team Thursday morning along Jose P. Rizal Extension in Barangay Comembo, Makati City and along Kanduli Street in Barangay Poblacion in Pateros.
MMDA records showed that at least 800 truckloads or about 6,000 cubic meters of garbage and silt from several waterways in Metro Manila were collected during the first half of the year.
The cleanup is being undertaken by MMDA personnel under the Estero Blitz program, a yearly flood mitigation project in preparation for the rainy season.
Motorists and commuters experienced traffic on Wednesday after some parts of Metro Manila were hit by flash floods because of heavy rainfall.
The MMDA also reported that half-tire deep floods prevented motorists from passing along the three eastbound lanes of Commonwealth Avenue near Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City.
Gutter-deep floods also caused the slow moving traffic in Commonwealth Avenue-Villa Beatriz in Quezon City affecting four westbound lanes of the road. The same situation was also experienced at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Tandang Sora Street.
Light vehicles were also prevented from passing along the southbound lane of Katipunan-Aurora Boulevard, also in Quezon City because of above gutter deep.
To date, MMDA has cleaned and cleared eight waterways—Estero de Galina in Manila, Makati and Pasay; Libertad retarding pond in Pasay; Estero de San Miguel, Estero de Quiapo, Estero de Magdalena, Estero de Maypajo, and Estero dela Reina, all in Manila; and Lapu-lapu/spine open canal in Malabon and Navotas.
The agency is also expected to clear major waterways in Caloocan, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Pasig, Marikina, Taguig, Pateros, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Parañaque in the following months until October.
Among those scheduled for declogging and clearing from June to October will be Pasong Malapad Creek, Lagoon (tributary of Pasong Malapad Creek), Veinte Reales Creek, Waling-waling Creek (tributary creek of San Juan River), Tanque Creek, Villa Verde and Sta. Lucia Creeks, (tributaries of Tullahan River), Pinagkatdan Creek, Sto. Rosario—Silangan River, Maytunas Creek, Ermitano Creek, Estero Tripa de Gallina- Buendia Outfall, Sto. Nino Creek, Dahlig Creek, Pasong Diablo River, and the Coastal Open Canal.
MMDA general manager Thomas Orbos said the Estero Blitz project aims to curb massive flooding in Metro Manila as agency personnel are busy all-year round to make sure that massive flooding will be mitigated during the onset of the rainy season.
“As early as March, we have been working to ensure that the various waterways and esteros as well as sewers in Metro Manila are garbage-free to allow the continuous flow of water during heavy downpour,” Orbos said.
Orbos also said that the responsibility of maintaining the waterways lies with the local government units especially the respective barangays.
The MMDA men cleaned up the creeks armed with heavy equipment, such as crane, dump trucks and spider backhoe. Some of them had to use small boats or bancas to fish out the floating debris and refuse from the waterways.
The MMDA attributed the clog problem from residents and informal settlers living along and near the creek.
With the regular cleanup drive, the MMDA expects that floods in low-lying areas of Metro Manila would quickly subside after heavy rainfall.
The campaign also aims to maximize the “conveyance capacity” of open waterways in Metro Manila to enable it to accommodate larger volume of floodwaters during the rainy season, thus hastening the flood receding rate and minimizing flooding.