MMDA ensures fully-operational pumping stations
Chairperson Benhur Abalos of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) revealed his plans of putting up garbage nets along rivers and tributaries in Pasay City to prevent garbage ending up in pumping stations.
Abalos inspected the pumping station in Pasay City with engineer Baltazar Melgar, head of MMDA flood control and sewerage management office, in Pasay City in preparation for the rainy season.
The MMDA chief said he is discussing plans of putting up garbage nets along rivers and tributaries in Pasay so that trash will not end up at the pumping stations to prevent damage on the pumps.
With this, Abalos appealed to the public to properly dispose garbage which usually causes flooding woes.
Segregating garbage and proper disposal entails discipline which are keys to fully address the problems brought by floods.
Local government units were also urged to strictly enforce the anti-littering ordinances and encourage recycling among residents to lessen the volume of garbage.
The biggest pumping station under the agency’s control, Tripa de Gallina in Pasay City was visited by Abalos and Baltazar along with other MMDA officials and the revetment wall in at Provident Village in Marikina City.
The MMDA chief ensures that the Tripa de Gallina pumping station, which is also the oldest in Metro Manila, and all other pumping stations operated by the MMDA are fully operational, with necessary power and fuel in place.
Aside from the regular maintenance of the pumping stations, desilting and dredging of river are also regularly conducted to prevent flooding.
In an earlier interview, Melgar has said MMDA personnel assigned in the flood control office are under orders to keep the pumping stations, 68 in all, in tip top shape as they brace for the rainy season.
Likewise, Abalos visited the ongoing construction of perimeter retaining wall at Provident Village in Marikina which will help stop the sudden flow of water coming from the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The city is a catch basin of water coming from Quezon City and province of Rizal, making it a flood prone area.
“We’ve rebuilt and reinforced the wall to make sure that it can withstand heavy rains and protect the residents from flood which can reach as high as a two-storey house,” he explained.