THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday led the cleanup of the Meycauayan River to ease flooding along North Luzon Expressway during a heavy downpour.
The Meycauayan river serves as the boundary between Valenzuela City and Meycauayan, Bulacan.
The Valenzuela City government assisted the MMDA in the cleanup operation.
“The cleanup is part of the Bayanihan sa Estero program of the MMDA, which was launched by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last week,” MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana told reporters.
The agency deployed a backhoe, a crane, and four dump trucks for the cleanup and dredging operations.
Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian said the city government initiated a cleanup operation as early as last June, with some 8,100 cubic meters of waste collected.
Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian said the city government initiated a cleanup operation as early as last June, with some 8,100 cubic meters of waste collected.
The Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, meanwhile, is planning to build a detention pond with a capacity equivalent to eight Olympic-size swimming pools to help prevent severe flooding during heavy downpours.
“We need to have more engineering solutions and larger infrastructure to prepare for flooding incidents,” said its chief regulatory officer, Arrey Perez.
Motorists complained about a seven-hour gridlock on NLEX caused by flooding brought about by tropical cyclone “Crising” last month and the southwest monsoon, particularly in areas near the Valenzuela Interchange and the Paso de Blas entry and exit points.
MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes has blamed haphazard dumping of garbage as among main causes of flooding in the metropolis.
Artes said garbage and debris flooding its pumping stations could affect the latter’s operation, especially during heavy downpour when they have to operate for longer period of time.
He said the public should practice responsible garbage disposal and not to use canals, creeks and other waterways as their garbage bin.
The MMDA chief said keeping the metropolis garbage-free is not only the work of the MMDA and local government units but also the public.
