2,070 floodway families to be evicted

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said yesterday 2,070 illegal settler families living along Napindan Channel and Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City would be evicted as part of measures to improve flood control in Metro Manila.

DPWH Undersecretary for Luzon Romeo Momo said the two waterways overflowed during typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng,” endangering the lives of people.

Momo said the order to evict families along the two floodways came from Malacañang.

“This is the marching order given to us by President Arroyo so we have to remove all the obstructions, if necessary, to maximize the utilization of our river banks… so the dredging may eventually take place anytime.”

Momo said they have requested affected local government units to help in the removal of the illegal structures that have hampered the flow of the floodwaters.

He said the move is also in preparation for future heavy rains and flooding in the metropolis, adding that the success of the project would greatly rely on the support of local officials.

The floodway of the Napindan Channel acts as a catch basin where accumulated rainwater from Metro Manila streams down, while the Manggahan waterway reduces flooding along Pasig River as it flushes water out of the Marikina River to Laguna de Bay.

At the height of Ondoy last Sept. 26, water in both channels overflowed, flooding Metro Manila.