ANGELES CITY– Four militant groups have shared the same views on a “major cause” of the recent widespread flooding in Metro Manila: malls and high rise condominiums along major water waterways, river systems, coastal shores and flood-prone areas.
In a joint statement, the Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLLM), Koalisyon Kontra Kumbersyon ng Manila Bay (KKK-Manila Bay), Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) and Anakpawis party list called on Pres. Aquino to stop the construction of malls and condominiums in such areas.
The groups noted that already, malls and condominiums have mushroomed at the Manila Bay, Pasig River, Laguna Lake and in other low land areas.
“These super infrastructures allowed to be built along major water systems, river banks, lakes and coastal areas should be largely blamed for the Ondoy-like situation over the last two weeks.
These multi-billion projects of corporate real estate syndicates and infra monopolies caused major obstruction to the natural flow of water that have resulted in massive and devastating flood all over the main capital and nearby provinces,” said Pamalakaya national chairperson and Anakpawis vice chair Fernando Hicap.
Hicap said “the coastal towns of Cavite were submerged in deep waters because of the R-1 road extension project or Cavitex.”
“Before Cavitex, flood was not an issue among the coastal people of the province.
Since the road project came into existence and altered the natural flow of waters in Bacoor Bay, frequent flooding has become a regular nightmare to tens of thousands of fisher people and residents along Manila and Bacoor Bays,” Hicap noted.
He also said “the construction of malls and other high-end condominiums near or along Pasig and Marikina rivers and in Manila Bay and Laguna Lake have led to frequenting of flood in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.”
“It all emanates in the policy of privatization and conversion of the state and the greed of past and present officials for juicy commissions,” added Hicap.
Earlier, Pamalakaya and Anakpawis questioned the P 352-billion flood control project proposed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for anti-flooding projects.
“The ambitious projects purportedly for effective and comprehensive flood management will be implemented by the country’s most corrupt government agency,” Hicap said.
Instead of pursuing the P 352-B anti-flood projects, Hicap said the government should instead “review and assess all flood projects undertaken by the national government since the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos.”
“The review and evaluation of anti-flood projects should include those projects undertaken during the time of former Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the current anti-flood projects of the DPWH under the Aquino administration,” he said.
Patric Gatan, head of the DPWH Project Management Office for Major Flood Control Projects, earlier said the National Economic and Development Authority’s (Neda) Sub-Committee on Water Resources approved the the P 352 billion anti-flood projects, which covers a total of 11 infrastructure projects, including the construction of a large dam in Marikina that will cost P198.43 billion.
The “high priority” projects were identified as the Manila core area drainage improvements, P27.2 billion; East Manggahan Floodway and improvement in Cainta and Taytay rivers, P26 billion; Malabon-Tullahan river improvements, P21.6 billion; Meycauayan river improvements, P14.04 billion; Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan river improvements, P8.631 billion; land-raising for small cities around Laguna lake, P7.15 billion; and improvement of inflow rivers to Laguna lake, P637million, and the West Laguna Lakeshore land-raising amounting to P 25.2B.
Also in the plan are “marginal priority” projects: South Parañaque-Las Piñas river improvements, P17.3 billion; and West Manggahan area drainage improvements, P5.52 billion.
But Pamalakaya said the 11 projects would adversely affect people’s communities situated along project sites.
Hicap said the projects would dislocate 787,106 people, including 330,708 along Pasig-Marikina river; 299,879 in Laguna lakeshore towns; 141,557 in San Juan river; 104,223 in Upper Marikina and Wawa rivers; 84,928 in Manggahan Floodway; 39,456 in Malabon-Tullahan river; 35,320 in Meycauayan river; and 30,278 in South Parañaque-Las Piñas river, as they will be displaced to pave way for flood projects.
“If these projects are intended to prevent flooding in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces both in the North and South of Luzon, how come in these areas, shopping malls and high rise condominiums are constructed?
People living along these communities will be displaced to pave way for big condominiums of real estate builders and shopping complexes of retail giants,” said Pamalakaya.
Pamalakaya said the Laguna Lake master plan itself will displace no less than 3.9 million people mostly lake fisherfolk, poor farmers and urban poor.
