CinemaBravo

Former San Juan Mayor and now Senator JV Ejercito recalled how his administration turned to Navotas’ flood-control strategy under then-Mayor and now Rep. Toby Tiangco to address persistent flooding in the city’s low-lying communities.

Ejercito said Tiangco was able to effectively manage flooding in Navotas, where around 70 percent of the city sits below sea level, by establishing pumping stations in strategic locations, including what he described as ‘bombastic pumps.’

“Ang Navotas, 70 percent diyan laging lubog kasi below sea level. Siya ‘yung naglagay ng mga bombastic pumps strategically. Ginaya namin ‘yon,” Ejercito said, referring to Tiangco.

(Navotas, 70 percent of it is always submerged because it is below sea level. He was the one who installed bombastic pumps strategically. We copied that.)

Ejercito said San Juan faced a similar problem in several low-lying, basin-like barangays where flooding could persist even after weeks without rain.

“Kasi nung mayor ako sa San Juan, may mga barangay diyan na ganun, basin din. Kasi minsan kahit wala, two weeks na walang ulan, baha pa rin kasi nga basin,” he said, referring to Barangays Balong-Bato, Salapan, Rivera, and Progreso.

(When I was mayor of San Juan, there were barangays there that were like that, also shaped like a basin. Sometimes, even when there had been no rain for two weeks, there was still flooding because they were like basins.)

Ejercito recalled that these areas used to experience severe flooding, with water reaching depths of 15 to 20 feet.

He said the city responded by replicating Navotas’ strategy and putting up pumping stations in these areas, particularly those located along or near the San Juan River.

“’Yung first namin Barangay Balong Bato na dati 15 feet ang lalim ng tubig diyan. ‘Yung Salapan, ‘yung Rivera, Progreso, nilagyan namin ng pumping stations lahat at naging maayos. Nawala ang baha sa San Juan,” he explained.

(Our first was Barangay Balong Bato, where the water used to reach a depth of 15 feet. Salapan, Rivera, and Progreso were all equipped with pumping stations, and things improved. The flooding in San Juan disappeared.)

Amid the recent heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat) and high tides across various parts of the country, Navotas City has proven the critical importance of long-term investment in flood control infrastructure.

Despite the heavy rainfall, the city’s navigational gate, coastal dike, and network of pumping stations have been operating continuously to manage floodwaters.

These facilities, established during Tiangco’s time as Mayor and lawmaker, have helped prevent seawater from entering local communities during high tides while facilitating the drainage of rainwater from the streets.

The effectiveness of these structures underscores the importance of sustained investment in flood control infrastructure to protect communities, livelihoods, and residents’ lives during periods of heavy rainfall and high tides.