QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – The seconds phase of Marikina River Restoration project begins in Pasig City with Environment Secretary and concurrent Task Force Build Back Better (TF-BBB) Chair Roy A. Cimatu inaugurating the project in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City on Wednesday.
The launch was witnessed by Pasig City Mayor Victor Maria Regis “Vico” Sotto and Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro and their respective city councils.
Cimatu, together with DPWH Undersecretary Maximo L. Carvajal and MMDA Chair Benjamin “Benhur” C. Abalos, Jr. officiated the launch following a short ceremony organized by DENR National Capital Region.
Phase 2 of the project aims to clear a total of 37,612 square meters of sediments and other obstruction along Marikina River, particularly from Barangay Santolan to Barangay Ugong in Pasig City.
Sediment loading and deposition is the result of the movement of organic and inorganic particles by water.
Materials coming from upstream portions of a river or waterway is usually carried downriver by gravity and during strong downpours.
While it is a natural process, human activities upstream—deforestation and land clearing for example—accelerates the process and causes siltation.
Overtime, the sediments accumulate and restrict waterflow downstream, often resulting to floods.
Mayor Teodoro hailed the success of the project’s first phase which covered parts of Barangay Barangka, Calumpang and Industrial Valley Complex.
Teodoro said the average water flowrate of Marikina River rose from “2.2 liters per second to 3.1 liters per second because of the dredging activity.
“Ibig sabihin, maganda at tama po na nilalaparan natin ang ilog at tinatanggal ang obstructions sa mga river easements natin...to protect property and lives” Teodoro said.
Mayor Sotto for his part said that the Pasig City government is giving its “full support” to phase 2 of the Marikina River Restoration Project.
“Matagal na po nating inaabangan ang dredging sa area na ito. Ang kagandahan nito, nung mag-meeting tayo, nakita natin na walang matatamaang pamilya sa proyekto ng DENR at DPWH,” Sotto said.
Abalos also expressed his support to the project seeing that the importance of dredging the Marikina River will reduce flooding in Metro Manila.
He said Metro Manila produces an average “60,000 cubic meters of garbage a day and portion of it ends up in the Marikina-Pasig River among other waterways, choking the river.
Cimatu thanked other government officials for their support saying the project will definitely benefit the people living in flood-prone areas as it would increase the capacity of the river to absorb excess rainwater.
“When phase 2 of this project is completed, I am confident that we can look forward to waterways restored to their original width and legal easements recovered resulting to safer and resilient communities against the adverse effect of climate change,” Cimatu said. (DENR NCR/PIA-NCR)
