Review of flood project sought

Sen. Teresa Aquino Oreta urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to review the design and alignment of its ambitious P3.5-billion flood control project in the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas area.

Oreta said that while she welcomes the enthusiasm of new DPWH Secretary Bayani Fernando in pushing for the project that is projected to rid Camanava of perennial flooding concerns raised by expert on the stability and viability of the flood control structure should be attended to.

"We hope that perceived flaws in the project should be quickly corrected so that the DPWH can go ahead with the plan to free the area of floods," she said.

She said the government cannot afford to proceed with the project if it is sure that the structure will work.

If it fails, it is the people of Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas who will continue to suffer, and it is the Filipino taxpayers who will pay for such failure, she stressed.

She pointed out that the project would be funded with loans from Japan, payment for which would be borne by the taxpayers.

Oreta called attention to concerns raised by geologist Kevin Rodolfo that the flood control project was no longer viable because it was based on 1990 studies that no longer apply to present conditions in Camanava.

DPWH officials and Japanese consultants for the project have dispute the allegations, saying they have looked into all possibilities in planning and designing the flood control structure in the area.

It was Rodolfo, who, years ago, warned public works officials that their lahar entrapment systems in the various river systems in Central Luzon were not enough to trap lahar flows from Mt. Pinatubo. Some of the systems eventually held, but others failed.

Oreta, who had represented the Malabon-Navotas district in the House of Representatives, said whatever flaws the project has, these should now be corrected so that the plan can be implemented as soon as possible. – Jess Diaz