IMPLEMENTING immediate flood control strategies and long-term defenses will be strengthened to prevent the recurrence of flooding in Manila last week.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO), in coordination with the mandamus agencies of the Manila Bay rehabilitation, made this commitment during the recently-held inter-agency meeting wherein they discussed the reinforcement of collective actions to address the recent flooding experienced in the city of Manila.

Also present during the meeting were representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Manila city government.

Jonas R. Leones, DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs, explained that the “holistic” design of the Manila Bay rehabilitation already involves mitigating measures to accommodate heavy rains and prevent flooding.

“A part of the overall rehabilitation plan is to install mitigating strategies and infrastructures that address flooding. These measures, which are managed by the DPWH and MMDA, are necessary as these ultimately affect the Manila Bay waters,” Leones said.

Meanwhile, MBCO Director Jacob Meimban said Taft-United Nations, Padre Faura, and Ermita-Malate areas that experienced heavy flooding last week will be prioritized as these are low-lying and flood-prone areas.

“The DPWH and MMDA, with the support of the DENR and city of Manila, are now working on interventions for the declogging of drainage canals, especially in the identified areas,” Meimban added.

He noted that the declogging operations last year have uncovered a significant amount of plastic bottles and grease and oil build-up along drainage canals in Manila. These were observed to come from business establishments and the wanton disposal of garbage in the streets.

During the interagency meeting, the DPWH also sought assistance from the Maynilad Water Services Inc. in cleaning drainage lines and disposal of waste after declogging operations. The water concessionaire committed to helping in the declogging operations in the target areas, especially along their sewer lines.

For the DENR’s part, Meimban said the agency plans to provide funding for the declogging operations, install mobile pumping stations in the Baywalk area, reconstruct floodgates, and devise other flooding interventions in coordination with other government agencies.

During the meeting, the DPWH committee worked on the long-term plans to abate flooding around Manila, especially in the city’s low-lying areas, by constructing more box culvert canals and pumping stations along T.M. Kalaw and Taft Avenue, for the floodwaters to recede immediately.

The measures include constructing additional drainage connection systems and box culverts, construction of pumping stations and interceptors, and equipment to remove wastes clogging the drainage pipes.

Meimban said that the pipes clogged with waste and the drainage canals with dead-end connections coupled with the extreme weather condition may have contributed to the flooding.

He emphasized that all concerned Mandamus agencies need to work together to address flooding through effective interventions.