90 families remain in Malabon evacuation centers

At least 90 families in low-lying areas in Malabon remain in evacuation centers, as six of the city’s 21 barangays were still submerged yesterday in flashfloods due to  intermittent rains brought about by Typhoon “Egay.”

According to Ian Feradero, of the Malabon City Disaster Coordinating Council, most of the more than 500 evacuees were from Barangay Panghulo.

They are now housed at evacuation centers at the Panghulo Barangay Hall and Panghulo National High School.

Feradero said some of the evacuees are victims of the recent typhoons “Chedeng” and “Dodong” whose houses were destroyed or still inundated in floodwaters.

Apart from Barangay Pang-hulo, five other barangays –Dampalit, Catmon, Maysilo, Tinejeros and Longos – were still under floodwaters yesterday with Barangay Dampalit as the worst affected.

 Floodwaters in Barangay Dampalit were chest-deep yesterday after it was compounded by a 1.6-meter high tide.

Barangay Dampalit chairman Edilberto Cruz complained that damaged fishpond dikes in their barangay are yet to be restored.

He said patch-up work done by local residents using sandbags were not enough to contain fishpond waters from spilling over to the barangay during heavy rains.

Cruz appealed to Mayor Tito Oreta and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for assistance, claiming that his barangay’s fund is now almost drained.

Barangay Panghulo chairman Reynaldo Bernardo is also experiencing the same problem. He said his barangay is also experiencing difficulty supporting the needs of hundreds of evacuees in his area.

Oreta yesterday reiterated his appeal to the DPWH to fast track the construction of the multibillion-peso Camanava flood control project.