From left: Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco, MMDA Chairperson Atty. Romando Artes, Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco meet at the MMDA Headquarters to discuss flood control and management in the northern metro cities. (Photo courtesy of Navotas PIO)
MANILA, (PIA) — Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco and Mayor John Rey Tiangco met with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials to be updated on the status of the dredging and the necessary repairs for the Tangos-Tanza navigational gate.
“Kasalukuyan na pong hinuhukay (dredging) ang tapat ng Tangos-Tanza navigational gate. Ito ay kinakailangan para maayos nang mabuti ang mga nasirang piyesa ng flood gate,” Tiangco added.
(The opposite side of the Tangos-Tanza navigational gate is currently being dredged. This is necessary to properly repair the damaged parts of the flood gate.)
The navigational gate was damaged when a fishing boat was forcibly towed last June, which resulted in flooding in some barangays in Navotas.
The solon stated that as early as 2022, he had already requested the DPWH to fund the upgrade of the navigational gate. This upgrade was necessary because the gate was being overtopped during high tides of 1.8 to 2.1 meters.
Aside from this, the solon requested that a second navigational gate be constructed.
He said this was in the original design but was not built due to lack of funds.
“It is necessary to build a second navigational gate to ensure we have a functioning back up in case the other one is damaged or in need of repair,” Tiangco said.
“While we have sustained efforts in mitigating the effects of this damage, we want to ensure proper repairs are initiated at the soonest. Additionally, our 81 Bombastik Pumping Stations are operational to help manage the situation,” he said.
“May mga lugar talaga na nahihirapan tayong pigilan ang pagpasok ng high tide dahil ang navigational gate ay isang main component ng flood control. Patuloy naman po ang pag-operate ng mga bombastik para kahit papaano ay madaling maalis ang tubig sa ating mga daan,” he added.
(There are places where we really struggle to prevent the high tide from entering because the navigational gate is a main component of flood control. Bombastics continue to operate so that somehow the water can be easily removed from our roads.)
