A lawmaker criticized the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday over a lack of operational funding for newly installed flood mitigation facilities, warning that a delay could leave coastal residents vulnerable as the rainy season approaches.

Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco expressed frustration with MMDA chairperson Romando Artes after the agency reportedly indicated that operational funds for the Navotas Coastal Dike Project could not be allocated until the 2028 national budget.

“We will not accept that the floodgates and pumping station here in Navotas won’t operate. We have waited a long time for this project,” Tiangco said.

Navotas, located along the shoreline of Manila Bay, is highly vulnerable to tidal fluctuations and severe weather flooding. The coastal dike project includes plans for six floodgates and two pumping stations along the coast.