Aksyon agad: Dredging of clogged waterways starts in flood-prone Parañaque

Less than a week after the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) inspected flood-prone areas in Parañaque, dredging operations in the city’s clogged waterways are set to begin this Saturday as part of the government’s flood mitigation projects ahead of the rainy season.

Parañaque 2nd District Representative Brian Yamsuan met with DPWH Metro Manila 2nd District Engineering Office OIC Hanzel Samson to thank the Department for immediately sending an amphibious excavator to begin work in declogging Villanueva Creek, one of the waterways that overflows and causes severe flooding along Dr. Santos Avenue (formerly Sucat Road) during heavy downpours.

“On behalf of the people of Parañaque, ako ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa DPWH, sa pangunguna ng aking kaibigang si Secretary Vince Dizon, sa agarang pag-aksyon sa napakatagal at napabayaang problema nang pagbaha dito sa aming lungsod,” Yamsuan said.

“ibinalita sa atin ni Sec. Vince nitong Biyernes na parating na ang amphibious excavator ng DPWH mula pa sa Tarlac para masimulan na agad ang dredging dito sa Parañaque. I’m not surprised because I’ve known Sec. Vince to respond and act fast. He has proven time and again that Government can be quick and effective in doing what needs to be done,” Yamsuan added.

Yamsuan and Samson, accompanied by DPWH Assistant District Engineer Kevin Ycoy, were present this morning at the pre-positioning of the excavator and other equipment to be used in dredging Villanueva Creek, which runs inside the Manila Memorial Park.

According to the DPWH, dredging operations are expected to start Saturday afternoon. The flood mitigation efforts in Parañaque, which has suffered from persistent flooding for decades, is part of the Marcos administration’s ‘Oplan Kontra Baha’ program.

On top of dredging operations, Dizon said during his May 18 inspection in Parañaque City that the DPWH would also begin the implementation of a flood interceptor project along Dr. Santos Avenue. The DPWH will allocate an initial P50 million from its savings to get the project going this year and will include it for funding in its proposed budget for 2027.

The DPWH also plans to conduct dredging operations at Don Galo Creek in Barangay Moonwalk. Garbage and silt have severely clogged both the Villanueva and Don Galo creeks.

These flood mitigation efforts will allow rainwater to cascade to the city’s waterways instead of backflowing to Dr. Santos Avenue and nearby residential areas.

Yamsuan, who accompanied Dizon during the May 18 inspection, said floods in Dr. Santos Avenue reach four to five feet high during heavy rains, making this major thoroughfare unpassable. This, in turn, triggers a massive traffic gridlock at the South Luzon Expressway and the Skyway.

The Parañaque lawmaker welcomed Dizon’s swift action in Parañaque, but pointed out that the solutions to the flooding problem are the responsibility not only of the government but of the city’s residents as well.

“The solutions to the problem should work both ways. Hindi lang dapat gobyerno and kikilos kundi dapat mga kababayan din natin. Kayo na mismo magdisiplina sa sarili ‘nyo, Nakita ‘nyo naman, yung basurang tinapon ‘nyo babalik din sa inyo. ‘Yung waste na tinatapon nila ang nagiging cause din ng problema,” Yamsuan said.

“Ang kailangan dito maraming approach. Disiplina sa tao, proyektong tama at paalala sa mga kababayan natin nang mga dapat na tamang gawin,” he said.

Dizon said he will also propose funding under the 2027 national budget for the upgrading of old dikes in the city and the construction of detention basins beneath basketball courts and open spaces, similar to projects implemented in Manila and Quezon City.