By Marita Moaje | Philippine News Agency
Urbanization remains the main culprit in the recent flooding in Metro Manila amid the continued rains caused by Severe Tropical Storm Enteng and the southwest monsoon or habagat, according to an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday, DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David attributed the massive flooding in Metro Manila to the vast urbanized areas.
He added that quarrying operations in Rizal, which many people have been blaming for the flood, only have a minimal effect.
David said that cemented urban areas have the same effect as a quarry in terms of flooding.
“When the area is paved, no rainwater will enter on the ground. If we compare how much area is covered by quarries versus how much area is covered by cities and urbanized areas, walang comparison at all. We’re talking about 350 hectares of quarry versus more than 20,000 hectares of urbanized area,” he said, adding that the effect of quarrying on the massive flooding that Metro Manila has experienced these past days was “very minimal—at about 1% only.”
Despite this, he said, the department would still investigate these quarrying operations to determine how much they have contributed to the flooding.
David said the DENR would hold a dialogue with quarry operators next week to discuss environmental issues.
“We will investigate and see and make sure that the quarry operations do not contribute to the intensified flooding in the local area,” he said.
David noted that about seven quarrying operators in Rizal cover an estimated 350 hectares of land, and none of them is in the protected 69,000-hectare Upper Marikina watershed.
“But definitely, categorically, I can say, we could not blame the quarry operations for the flooding that we are experiencing here in Metro Manila,” David said.
Meanwhile, David also said the department is eyeing to rehabilitate the old Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal, which could help mitigate flooding in the province and in Metro Manila.
“One potential project that we wish to do is the old Wawa Dam. Kung natatandaan nyo, ’yong Wawa Dam, para siyang may waterfalls,” he said.
“It is a dam that is no longer functioning. Hindi siya nag-iipon ng tubig dahil umaagos lang yan continuously so kung itaas mo ng kaunti like one or two meters of that dam and then pagka may parating na malaking bagyo, you drain that para malaki yung container mo kumbaga. That will become an impoundment and reduce flooding downstream,” he added.
At the same time, he said, it could serve as another source of water supply for Metro Manila residents.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday conducted an aerial inspection of flood-hit areas in the cities of Marikina and Antipolo after the onslaught of Enteng.
The President said the impounding process of dams and river basins is seen as a solution to prevent floods, especially in Metro Manila.
David said that as a geologist, he believes the solution is to contain the water coming down from the watershed and not allow it to go down to the plains or the downstream portion.
“To me, during the rainy season, you impound as much as you can, and during the dry season, you release them. So, (it’s) multipurpose,” he added.
