President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday that the government flood control measures became ineffective as most Filipinos throw their trash irresponsibly following his ocular inspection in the northern parts of Metro Manila, where several people suffered from heavy floods caused by typhoon “Carina.”

“I hope people learn not to throw trash because the trash is what clogs our flood control pumps, making them less effective,” Marcos said, adding that there are already several pumping stations in Navotas and Valenzuela, with 81 and 32 stations, respectively.

Despite the infrastructure, the recent combination of heavy rain and high tide at noon exacerbated the flooding situation, which the President now understands more clearly.

“We have to relook, we have to re-examine some of the designs of our flood control because, for example, the amount of water was not as bad as ‘Ondoy,’” Marcos said, citing the devastating 2009 typhoon. “But the effects were greater than ‘Ondoy.’ The flooding was worse. More areas were flooded compared to the time of ‘Ondoy.’”

He also acknowledged the improvements in flood control infrastructure but stressed the significant impact of climate change.

In his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on Monday, Marcos reassured Filipinos that the government is taking measures to prepare for the severe rains caused by the La Niña phenomenon.

He said that nearly 100 evacuation centers have been constructed over the past two years and in January of this year, the government launched the operations of the Disaster Response Command Center, which will act as the central hub for the government’s disaster response activities.

At least 5,500 flood control projects have already been completed, with additional projects currently underway across the country.

Flood control projects face scrutiny

Meantime, lawmakers called for a congressional investigation into multibillion-peso flood control projects after typhoon “Carina” triggered widespread flooding in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas said the discrepancy between the government’s claims and the reality on the ground warrants a probe.

“For years, we’ve seen corruption-tainted and ineffective flood control projects,” Brosas said. “We need to put an end to this cycle.”

The government has allocated P244.57 billion for flood control projects, she said.

Meantime, ACT Teachers Representative France Castro echoed the call for an investigation, saying the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has “a lot of explaining to do.”

On the other hand, Manila Representative Rolando Valeriano, chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, called for long-term plans from DPWH and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

“We should have been prepared for this,” Valeriano said. “Our benchmark should be super typhoon ‘Ondoy’ in 2009, ‘Yolanda’ in 2013.”

The House committee will hold a hearing on 31 July to discuss the flooding.