The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has conducted a cleanup operation at the Lagarian creek in Brgy. Kalusugan, Quezon City, to mitigate flooding problems in the city during the rainy season.
The clearing operation, which is in coordination with the Quezon City Government, was inspected by MMDA General Manager Undersecretary Procopio Lipana and Quezon City Engineering Department Chief Mark Dale Perral on Thursday.
In an interview with reporters, Lipana emphasized that the 4-kilometer-long Lagarian Creek must be cleared of waste and desilted to enhance water flow and prevent the accumulation of floodwaters during heavy rains.
‘The houses here are almost submerged (in the flood). A lot will be affected by flooding if we don’t desilt this creek,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Perral noted that the Lagarian creek is a critical waterway, since it is upstream of the San Juan River, adding that as for the Roxas District alone, the estimated flood volume can reach around 30,000 cubic meters.
‘If we can desilt it, the capacity of the creek will increase. It will be a big help,’ he said.
The QC engineering chief, meanwhile, noted that they observed that aside from the dumped garbage, the waste found along the creek are mostly belongings of residents that were washed away due to the flood.
Nonetheless, Perral and Lipana appealed to the public to stop dumping waste in wrong places, such as canals and creeks.
Perral affirmed that the Quezon City government has been implementing the resolution recently passed by the Metro Manila Council, where the maximum penalty standard fine for those caught illegally throwing garbage in public places is P5,000.