Marikina City Mayor Maan Teodoro has been elected as the focal mayor on flood mitigation and management of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) which comprises 149 mayors of cities in the country.

Marikina City Mayor Maan Teodoro

During the league's meeting on Aug. 8, Teodoro was elected to the position due to her administration's exemplary efforts in managing the flooding situation in Marikina.

With her new appointment, Teodoro will now lead the creation and implementation of policies and initiatives aimed at boosting the capabilities of the different cities in the country in addressing the threats of flooding and climate change.

“Lubos tayong nagpapasalamat sa tiwalang ibinigay sa atin upang manguna sa mga programang nakatuon sa flood mitigation and management. Pasasalamat din sa lahat ng kawani, volunteers, at partners na walang sawang nakikipagtulungan para masigurong handa at ligtas ang Marikina sa harap ng banta ng pagbaha at epekto ng climate change (We are deeply grateful for the trust given to us to lead programs focused on flood mitigation and management. We would also like to thank all the staff, volunteers, and partners who tirelessly work together to ensure that Marikina is prepared and safe in the face of the threat of flooding and the effects of climate change)," Teodoro said.

“Ang tungkuling ito ay isang pagkakataon para maibahagi natin ang #AlagangMarikinaCity sa mas malawak na saklaw—bilang inspirasyon at modelo ng kahandaan, kalinisan, at disiplina para sa buong Pilipinas (This role is an opportunity for us to share #AlagangMarikinaCity on a wider scale—as an inspiration and model of preparedness, cleanliness, and discipline for the entire Philippines)," she added.

The mayor, together with her husband, former Mayor Marcy Teodoro, who is now a district representative of Marikina, has been at the forefront of flood-prevention measures and programs that were recognized by local government units (LGUs) nationwide.

These include the city government's continuous dredging operations of Marikina River and the ongoing drainage declogging operations to ensure the proper flow of water and prevent flooding.

The mayor explained that the dredging operations in the river ensure that its water-carrying capacity can handle large volumes of water, especially during heavy rains and storms.

She also cited an ongoing slope protection project by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with the goal of further increasing the river's water carrying capacity. The project is scheduled for completion by October of this year.