With classes being suspended in Quezon City and 16 out of Metro Manila’s 17 local government units due to the threats posed by flooding, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Juan Carlos “Arjo” Atayde on Wednesday urged the national government to fund and implement proposed QC flood control projects intended to address chronic flooding not only in his district, but the rest of Quezon City.
“Malaki talaga ang epekto ng baha sa buhay ng mga taga QC, lalo na sa Distrito Uno. Classes in private and public schools at all levels were once again suspended in the city, and the national government saw fit to suspend work in government offices and classes in public schools in NCR. We cannot simply accept this. Hindi naman pwede ganito forever; kailangan na natin aksyunan ito,” stressed the Solon.
“My constituents, and the residents of Quezon City, are a resilient people. Pero di naman makaturungan na i-expect na taon-taon magtitiis sila kung kaya naman natin tugunan ang problema na ito.”
The two proposed projects, revealed Atayde, are the Construction of a Detention Basin under G. Araneta Avenue and the Talayan Flood Interceptor Project, which involved the construction of flood interceptors in Bgy. N. S. Amranto, from G. Araneta Ave. to San Francisco River.
Atayde pointed out that Quezon City already has a comprehensive flood mitigation study and actionable plans to address flooding.
The study, conducted by the University of the Philippines and commissioned by the QC local government, was presented to Atayde by QC Mayor Joy Belmonte.
The legislator explained that “ang kailangan po ay pondo at suporta mula sa DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), kasi may dalawang measures na very doable and can have an immediate impact on flood mitigation efforts.”
The two proposed projects, revealed Atayde, are the Construction of a Detention Basin under G. Araneta Avenue and the Talayan Flood Interceptor Project, which involved the construction of flood interceptors in Bgy. N. S. Amranto, from G. Araneta Ave. to San Francisco River.
The budget for the Construction of a Detention Basin under G. Araneta Avenue could range from four to 24 billion pesos. The proposed basin will be 2.2 kilometers long and hold as much as 282,000 cubic meters of water. During Typhoon Carina, G. Araneta Avenue experienced an estimated flood volume of 234,000 cubic meters, with flood depths of up to 2.4 meters in certain areas.
The Talayan Flood Interceptor Project, on the other hand, will accommodate the actual volume of 10,000 cubic meters along streets in Bgy. Talayan, and involves the upgrading of drainage pipes so that their drainage capacity can be increased to 12,000 cubic meters. The total length of the flood interceptors will be 2.2 kilometers long, and the estimated cost of the project ranges from 1.2 to two billion pesos.
According to Atayde, the funds needed for the two projects “are an investment in improving the lives of long-suffering QC residents who must be worried every time the rains pour.”
“Pero hindi lang ito issue ng convenience, this is an issue of productivity as well. We cannot allow rains to continually disrupt classes, businesses, and even government services. If there are solutions within reach, we should implement them immediately.”
