DILG seeks real score on village flooding

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has instructed the local government of Parañaque City to update it on the many issues being raised surrounding the flooding of at least four subdivisions under its jurisdiction.

The flooding is being blamed by residents of Camella Classic Homes and Multinational Village on the clogged Baloc-Baloc Creek situated inside the Wing-An Garden Resort owned by engineer Selwyn Lao.

In turn, Lao has blamed the flooding on the alleged reclamation of the original creek purportedly by the real estate firm of former Senate president Manny Villar. 

The resort operator said the Villar firm built at least four houses and a road over the "reclaimed" creek. He said the complaints he had filed against the Villars before national and local government agencies  had fallen on deaf ears for years.

Atty. Lord A. Villanueva, DILG undersecretary for operations, told DAILY TRIBUNE  they had "requested the Parañaque local government for updates" on the issue.

Villanueva said  he was ordered by DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. to personally look into Lao's complaints.

"I will also be working with Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo Iringan on this matter," Villanueva said.

Earlier, Abalos denied his department had failed to act on the complaint that Villar's firm had reclaimed a creek.

Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna of the DENR had told this paper that rivers and creeks were part of the public domain and, as such, cannot be reclaimed.