Marcos: Floods becoming ‘new normal’

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the government’s efforts at flood control could not fully keep pace with the increasingly intense rainfall linked to climate change, which he described as becoming “the new normal.”

In a briefing following a situational meeting with Cabinet officials at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) head office in Pasig City, the President said Metro Manila received 201 millimeters of rain in just five hours on Monday.

“In five hours, 201 millimeters of rain poured. That is equivalent to 44 percent of the rainfall brought by typhoon Ondoy over 24 hours. This is equivalent to 50,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. That is how much rain fell on Monday. This is what we are facing because of climate change. Now it is becoming somewhat the new normal,” Marcos said.

He cited the rainfall as a major reason for the widespread flooding that stranded motorists and commuters along major thoroughfares, including EDSA, Taft Avenue, España Boulevard, Quezon Avenue and Marcos Highway.

Despite the volume of rain, Marcos said the government, through the Department of Public Works and Highways, the MMDA and local governments, was continuing efforts to dredge waterways and upgrade drainage systems to reduce flooding.

“Before, there were areas where floodwaters reached the second floor. Now, they only reach knee level and some areas are no longer flooded. The water also subsides more quickly. Before, people had to wait two or three days for the floodwaters to recede. Now, the water is gone in less than a day,” he said.

“We have replaced the small pipes installed during the World War II era with larger ones to allow water to flow more quickly. We also have 73 functioning pumping stations,” he added.

Marcos said flooding and heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon and typhoons had so far affected 4,700 barangays and 1.7 million families, leaving 27 people dead and 17 injured.

Help from Dutch firm

MMDA chairperson Don Artes said Dutch engineering and consultancy firm Haskoning was conducting a study on flood mitigation measures in Metro Manila.