REVILLA MEDIATES OVER FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT ROW

With Senator Bong Revilla acting as mediator, concerned local government units and government agencies finally agreed to set aside differences over the controversial CAMANAVA Flood Control and Drainage Improvement Project.

In a meeting spearheaded by Revilla at the his office yesterday (Tuesday, July 29), officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and LGUs in CAMANAVA aired their sides regarding the P5-billion megaproject and the recurring flooding in the area.

"I am grateful that the concerned parties agreed to patch things up. It looks like there was only a miscommunication. Now we can look forward to the immediate completion of the flood control project. I am particularly thankful to Mayor Oreta and Mayor Tiangco for being present and agreeing to sit down with us," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works.

Among those who attended meeting were Malabon Mayor Canuto Oreta, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, Barangay Dampalit Chairman Allan Dumalaog, MMDA Flood Control Division Director Mel Baltazar, CAMANAVA Flood Control Project Director Macariola Bartolo and Ty Matsumura, who is the project manager and representative of the foreign contractor, Nishimatsu Construction Company.

The local officials reiterated their complaint on the DPWH's alleged failure to operate the already completed pumping stations and flood gates during recent typhoons.

Bartolo admitted the malfunction of the facilities, citing the electricity breakdown during the typhoons and lack of batteries to substitute the power failure.

Other issues discussed were the misinformation regarding the completion rate of the project, silted garbage, expired contract to the loan agency Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and unaccomplished road right-of-way.

Bartolo assured the lawmaker that the mega project will be fully operational on September next year. However, she clarified that the DPWH will maintain the facilities for a year before the turn over of operation to the MMDA, in compliance to the guidelines of the Commission of Audit (COA).

The DPWH official committed to the senator that the navigation gate located in Barangay Tangos, Navotas will be opened and operated starting August 15.

Revilla vowed to continue monitoring the progress of the project so that it will be fully operational by next year. "What matters most is the welfare of the people, particularly the CAMANAVA residents who are eagerly waiting to be relieved from the frequent flooding of their streets and households," he pointed out.

In the end, all parties agreed to cooperate and coordinate with each other for the much-awaited full operation of the flood control project. "I am sure affected residents will be very pleased," Revilla said.

Revilla proposed the consultative meeting so that all contentions of both sides will be discussed and resolved. This was during his on-site inspection on the flood control project last week which was aimed to personally assess the situation over the still frequent flooding in Caloocan , Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.