FLOODED HIGHWAY. Portions of Aguinaldo Highway in Bacoor City, Cavite were flooded on Sunday (Oct. 30, 2022). Tropical Storm Paeng hit the province hardest the night before, with Silang and Noveleta incurring the most damage. (Photo photo by Avito Dalan)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said the government is coming up with a long-term solution to the flooding problem in the province of Cavite, among the provinces hit hardest by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
Speaking to reporters in Noveleta, Cavite, Marcos raised the possibility that the Japanese government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will approve projects that will help the province’s flood mitigating efforts.
“Naghahanap kami ng long-term solution para dito. May possibility na mayroong project na approved na galing sa Japanese, sa JICA, na palalakihin nila ‘yung ilog para mas malaki ang dadaanan ng tubig and then mayroon siyempre may mga flood control na gagawin (We are looking for a long-term solution to this. There is a possibility that there will be a project approved by JICA, they’re going to increase the size of rivers so there would be more space for the water to pass through and there will also be flood control of course),” he said.
Marcos said he saw how flood control facilities and dikes have eroded during an aerial survey on Monday.
“Yung mga dike natin, wala na na-erode-erode na…Magkakaroon tayo ng plano na long-term para kahit na lumakas ang tubig nang husto ay hindi na guguho ‘yung lupa at hindi na tayo inaabutan ng mga landslide na ‘yun ang mga nagiging problema (Our dikes have eroded…We will have a long-term plan that will ensure that even if rains are strong, the ground will not erode and cause landslides),” he said in another briefing after distributing assistance to evacuees.
Marcos also assured persons displaced by the flooding that the government is now in the stage of “rebuilding” damaged houses and infrastructure.
“Ang inaalala namin ay ‘yung mga infrastructure na damaged kasi maraming nasira na mga flood control. Doon ‘yung --- noong inikot namin ng helicopter kitang-kita mo talaga sirang-sira na ‘yung mga ano (We are now prioritizing infrastructure damage because flood control projects were destroyed. During our helicopter survey, you can really see the damage),” he added.
Meanwhile, Marcos welcomed reports that more evacuees have started returning to their homes after preemptive evacuation.
“Nakauwi na nga at mayroon din patuloy ang pagbigay namin ng tulong para makabili na -- ‘yung mga residents, returning residents doon sa kanilang mga bahay -- ay makabili na ng building materials, ayusin na nila ‘yung kanilang mga bahay (Others have returned to their homes and we continue to provide help so that residents can purchase materials to repair their houses),” he said.
Several areas in the country experienced up to chest or waist-deep floods due to rains brought by Paeng.
Paeng affected 575,728 families or 1.812 million individuals across the country.
Damaged houses were estimated to cost PHP12.415 million, infrastructure damage at PHP757.841 million, and agricultural damage at over PHP435.464 million.
Paeng is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday afternoon or evening just as another tropical storm, Queenie, enters the PAR. (PNA)
