The local government of Parañaque City's inaction has galvanized residents of Camella Classic Homes into taking into their hands the cleaning of Baloc-Baloc Creek that separates Barangay Don Bosco and Barangay Moonwalk.
Bringing tools with them, they were determined to tear down a structure put up by a certain Mr. Lao, whose lot now extends up to the creek and is blocking the waterway.
"It created a chest-deep flood yesterday (Friday night) when the creek overflowed onto our roads following the continuous rain," Teody Serafica, a member of the Camella Homes board of directors, told Daily Tribune.
Serafica said the problem started in 2011 when Lao erected the "WingAnn Resort" and tried to extend the property by placing debris and a cemented structure on the creek between Camella and Multinational Village.
The flowing water was choked, according to Serafica, who brought the issue to the attention of local officials led by then-Mayor Edwin Olivares.
"Now that his brother Eric is the mayor, the issue is also stalled," the homeowners association official said, referring to the issue they raised over a decade ago.
Serafica said the former mayor has convened different government agencies to tackle the matter, including the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.