The Marikina City government, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) initiated on Wednesday the pilot dredging activities in Marikina River to avoid the constant flooding in the city.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos Jr., and DPWH officials oversaw the dredging in one of the identified illegally-reclaimed parts of the river in Barangay Olandes.

According to the DENR's research and mapping, they said 25 lot parcels with a total area of 27 hectares (271, 625 square meters) were reclaimed without the necessary permits, either partially or completely encroaching into the Marikina River.

These areas reduced the waterway's ability to contain rainwater during storms and typhoons, resulting in immense flooding in Marikina City. 

The structures are also in violation of Presidential Decree 1067, the Philippine Water Code.

“As what we have been emphasizing, this is not simply a dredging activity on the part of the DPWH, but this is a Marikina River restoration activity, which will not be done only today or in the next 65 days but will be a sustainable activity,“ Teodoro said.

“The local government is also acquiring some heavy equipment, dredgers that can be used to continue the dredging activity.” he added.

Based on the data from DPWH, at least four meters per second of water velocity for Marikina River is the aim in order to avoid flooding in low-lying areas in the city.

“Dredging will be done to widen the river, to deepen it, to get the correct ratio of the widening and the deepening of the river in order to improve the water carrying capacity of the Marikina River, and thus improving its water current velocity,” Teodoro said.