Former Sen. Cynthia Villar said flood-control efforts should not stop at pumping stations, river dredging and drainage improvements, stressing that floodwaters must also have a clear path toward Manila Bay.

Villar said proper garbage collection and keeping waterways free of waste are essential to preventing floods because clogged drainage systems, esteros and rivers can worsen water buildup during heavy rains.

She said waste-management programs should work alongside river dredging, drainage maintenance and pumping stations to keep water moving from communities toward Manila Bay.

“Dredging the rivers, waste recycling, improving drainage and building pumping stations are important,” Villar said. “But we also have to make sure that the water has somewhere to go.”

Villar said this concern is particularly important in southern Metro Manila, where water from communities and tributaries flows through waterways such as the Molino, Zapote, Las Piñas and Parañaque rivers before reaching Manila Bay.

She warned that reclamation projects could potentially restrict these natural discharge pathways and affect the ability of rivers to release water into the bay.

“Simula pa noong 2010, lumalaban na kami sa reclamation kasi ayaw po naming bumaha ang lugar namin,” Villar said, recalling her earlier opposition to reclamation.

She has also called for broader studies on the cumulative effects of reclamation, particularly in flood-prone areas.

Protecting wetlands

Villar said flood mitigation should also include the protection of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, a protected area under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act and a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The wetland and its mangroves help protect nearby communities from storm surges and support the natural movement of water along the coastline.

Villar said reclamation projects should therefore be subjected to scientific and environmental studies to determine their effects on flooding, coastal ecosystems and surrounding communities.

She added that fisherfolk and coastal communities could also be affected by changes to fishing grounds, aquatic habitats and the broader Manila Bay environment.

For Villar, effective flood management requires an integrated approach that combines proper waste disposal, clean drainage systems, river maintenance, pumping infrastructure and wetland conservation.

She said decisions affecting Manila Bay should ultimately consider whether proposed developments would make nearby communities safer or more vulnerable.