Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco on Monday said the severe flooding in Barangay San Jose over the weekend was caused not only by a collapsed river wall but also by structural issues at the Tangos-Tanza Navigational Gate.

“The flooding wasn’t solely because of the wall,” Tiangco said in a radio interview in Filipino. “That wall was already weak, which is why we had already relocated some residents in the area.”

He also noted, “Our flood control projects have already done a lot for the area.”

Over the weekend, Tiangco also noted that while the navigational gate, which had sustained damage last year, allowed water to enter, the extent of flooding would have been reduced if the wall on a nearby private property had remained intact.

“The navigational gate, which was also damaged last year, allowed water to enter — but if the wall of this private property had been in good condition, this much water wouldn’t have reached Celestino,” he said.

The mayor said the property owner has committed to rebuilding the damaged flood wall once the tide recedes. Meanwhile, city officials will inspect the welds on the gate’s left driving arm after a third-party consultant from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) discovered cracks.

The river wall in Barangay San Jose collapsed on Saturday, causing a sudden surge of water that reached neck-deep levels in some parts of the barangay. The incident forced the evacuation of at least 100 families and prompted emergency response efforts from local authorities.

WITH NICHOLAS PRICE