MMDA: Flood pumps ready for 'Pepeng'

MANILA, Philippines - Flood pumping stations are ready to take on the rainwater that typhoon “Pepeng” is expected to bring, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said yesterday.

“The pumps can operate within their capacities,” said MMDA flood control management service chief Baltazar Melgar, though he admitted that the volume of water dumped by typhoon “Ondoy” overwhelmed the MMDA’s pumping stations.

“The pumping stations are expected to function within their capacity but the rainwater brought by Ondoy was simply too much,” he said.

Yesterday, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando visited the Tapayan pumping station in Taytay, Rizal and the Wawa, Hagonoy and Tipas pumping stations in Taguig City in order to determine why Pasig, Taguig, Muntinlupa and Pateros remain submerged in floodwater.

Melgar said the Tapayan station was not able to handle the rising floodwaters in Pasig and Taytay as the rainwater was compounded by a spillover from the Laguna Lake.

“The floodwater is now slowly receding,” he said.

Melgar said what aggravates the situation are creeks made narrow by garbage and subdivision development. These creeks, he said should have helped efficiently convey the floodwaters to Laguna Lake.   – Mike Frialde