A vessel struck a portion of the Navotas Navigational Gate early Tuesday morning, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported.
According to the MMDA, the F/V Monalinda 98 was being assisted by two tugboats when it ‘scraped the top portion’ of the navigational gate.
The gate’s plant engineer Flocy Ismael approved a vessel passage from 1 a.m to 2 a.m on Tuesday, but the vessel arrived at 5:43 a.m, the incident report read.
The vessel’s draft was declared to be only 1.6 meters, but actually measures 3.9 meters, which was unsafe for crossing the gate, the MMDA said.
Initial investigation showed that the gate sustained hairline cracks following the incident, and another comprehensive assessment will be done.
On Wednesday afternoon, MMDA Chairman Don Artes and Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco inspected the floodgate.
Artes said that the gate remains operational, but the MMDA will study the possibility of building an additional gate to serve as backup.
The MMDA will form a technical working group to assess the current navigation and safety protocols for vessels.
Meanwhile, Tiangco asked the owners of the vessel involved to submit a written explanation regarding the incident.
Both Artes and Tiangco reassured that continuous inspections of the gate will be made to ensure safety.
The floodgate is a barrier that stops the flow of water from Manila Bay into the Navotas and Malabon river.
Parts of the navigational gate have previously been damaged and repaired twice since July 2024, and continues to be a key infrastructure to prevent floods in Navotas City.