JICA aids Rizal-Laguna flood control

Seemingly buoyed by the flood alert and response system in Marikina City City, the local government units in Laguna and Rizal have joined forces with the Japanese government to improve their disaster alert program against flooding, oftentimes aggravated by the overflowing of the river systems of Laguna de Bay.

Noriaki Niwa, chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Philippines, said the ag agency is now working with the cities and m municipalities of Laguna and Rizal to impro improve the disaster resiliency measures espec especially in the industrial areas of the two p provinces.

“We hope that JICA’s assistance will help the LGUs (local government units) and individual institutions in Laguna de Bay develop disaster resiliency,” said Niwa following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between JICA and some LGUs of Rizal and Laguna.

“Like the Philippines, Japan is prone to natural disasters, and we would like to share our knowledge when it comes to strengthening adaptation measures so we can attract more investments in emerging growth centers outside Metro Manila,” he added.

Based on the agreement, JICA and LGUs of Angono and Calamba City will further enhance the monitoring system in the tributary river systems of Laguna de Bay through modern technology and community participation.

Laguna de Bay is known to be the largest freshwater body in the Philippines at the heart of industrial centers outside Metro Manila.

During weather disturbances that includes heavy downpour for instance, thousands of households are affected by the flooding in communities near the Laguna dew Bay area.

Laguna, for instance, experienced severe flooding which lasted for four months in the past year.

On the part of the JICA, it has provided a web-based camera monitoring system in strategic and critical river locations for monitoring and issuance of early flood warnings to surrounding communities.