President Marcos ordered agencies to conduct an engineering assessment on the damaged Tangos-Tanza Navigational Gate, which was blamed as the culprit in the severe flooding in Navotas and neighboring cities.
During a situation briefing on the effects of Super Typhoon Carina and enhanced southwest monsoon on Thursday, July 25, Marcos told Cabinet members to figure out something to prevent more flooding in the affected areas while the navigational gate is being repaired.
He stressed that the flooded areas in Navotas and Malabon should not be affected further as these areas are still 60 to 80 percent flooded due to the recent heavy rains brought by the typhoon.
The damaged gate, however, is already up for repair within a month.
"Anong remedyo diyan? Paano ba natin pwedeng harangin man lang o (What is the remedy for that? Can we block it at least or) is there something we can do? At least as an emergency measure and then we can go back and repair it properly," Marcos said.
"I want to see what the damage is, is there something we can do? Buhusan natin ng (Let's pour)sandbag or something, I don't know. We have to get an engineer to look at it and tell us what we can do so that hindi tuloy tuloy ang pasok ng tubig. Mataas pa rin ang tubig, eh (the inflow of water would not continue. The flood is still high)," Marcos added.
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting Chairman Romando Artes explained to the President that during the repair, the flow of water to communities in Navotas and Malabon will continue, saying that even if there is no typhoon, the flooding would continue in five villages in Malabon, and three barangays in Navotas.
Artes further explained that in repairing the damaged gate, flooding will be inevitable as the gate would be repaired in an open and flat position.
This prompted Marcos to order the agencies including MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to do engineering assessment.
"I understand now. I know the design. That's why we'll use that to figure out something. I don't know what it will be but we have to figure out something," he said.
He also tasked the agencies to coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to see if they can help in preventing the water from flowing into the communities.
The gates, according to Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, have been opened for two weeks now, and people within the affected areas have been requesting food packs.