Marikina dike project redesigned — mayor

The Department of Public Works and Highways has not dropped the road dike project of former Marikina congressman Bayani Fernando as it will continue constructing the same but based on a different design.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino "Marcy" Teodoro issued the clarification over the weekend in an interview by Daily Tribune during a visit of the PaMaMariSan-Rizal Press Corps.

"The road dike project has been revised (by the DPWH). It's now called Riverside Development. The elevation of some areas will be raised to mitigate flooding in the city," Teodoro said. "The project is now under the DPWH. We just coordinated with them."

Teodoro revealed that drainage outfalls will be constructed in many areas.

"Even if you have a dike, but if you haven't improved the drainage system in the surrounding area, the slope protection is useless," he explained. "The elevation in other areas will be raised up to 21 meters to prevent flooding."

Also included in the drainage improvement plan are the construction of a pumping station in Barangay Malanday and the rehabilitation of the station in Provident Village, Teodoro said.

Fernando has planned to construct a road dike with tombs along the Marikina River but this was opposed by Teodoro.

Teodoro said "it's unnatural, inappropriate and unsanitary to construct a road dike with a cemetery near the river."

"The original plan of BF (Bayani Fernando) was just sloping protection, dike only, then his other idea was to put tombs on the side of the dike," Teodoro said.

"There was really a plan to construct a road dike with a cemetery. You can see the tomb structure," the mayor added.