MANILA, Philippines -- A Marikina congressman Sunday sought a commitment from government to construct a dam in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban)town in Rizal to allay fears of a recurrence of another “Ondoy” that devastated the city and other Metro Manila cities and municipalities two years ago today --on September 26, 2009.

Rep. Miro Quimbo (LP, Marikina City) said the building of a dam could be the quickest solution to the threat of floods that have put Marikiñenos in “constant fear” since “Ondoy” onslaught.

A total 464 people were killed, while thousands were injured when the typhoon lashed Metro Manila two years ago, with Marikina City as the most devastated with floodwaters reaching as high as 15 feet.

“It has been two years since Marikina was brought to its knees by typhoon “Ondoy,” and no major flood control project has t been thought of or on the drawing board to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy,” Quimbo lamented.

According to him, government has been pursuing efforts to rehabilitate “some of the flood control infrastructure of Marikina” that were destroyed by Ondoy.

However, there is an urgent need for a “more comprehensive plan to address” the flooding of the shoe capital of the country, adding that will involve other localities like Antipolo, Pasig, San Mateo and Montalban.

Quimbo said 90 percent of floodwaters brought to Marikina come from Antipolo, Montalban and San Mateo.

“Whatever due diligence Marikenyo’s do in terms of waste segregation, clean-up and rehabilitation of our drainage and creek system, if our neighbors do not cooperate, we will continue to suffer,” he said.

The administration lawmaker noted that the water level in the Marikina River has recently alarmed long-time residents living along the Marikina riverbanks.

“Water rises so fast and with less rain than it used to. Now, heavy rains that last two hours already swell the river. It used to take at least 6 to 7 hours of continuous rain for that to happen,” stated Quimbo.

He said a dam in Montalban could provide the “quickest solution” to the problem.

“Owing to the siltation of the Marikina River, particularly that brought down by Ondoy two years ago, the river’s containment capacity is down by 60% from 8 years ago,” the solon said.

Quimbo explained that constructing an upriver dam contain the rain water for a few hours instead of immediately bringing it down to the Marikina River system.

“The dam can also be a source of energy which the country needs in the next three years anyway. Based on the reports of the Department of Energy, we will have critical levels of power come 2014,” Quimbo stressed.

He added that other intermediate steps that need to be immediately funded are water impounding areas in Antipolo and slope and embankment protection along the Marikina River.”