Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Miro Quimbo demanded on Sunday, Aug. 9 the immediate suspension of the contractor and operator of the Iwahig and Tumana pumping stations after he discovered firsthand that they were non-working and abandoned.

An irate Quimbo directed his call to Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon.

“I am calling on Secretary Vince Dizon to immediately suspend this operator and conduct a full investigation. If negligence is established, there must be consequences,” he said.

Quimbo led inspections in these areas on Sunday afternoon even as water level in the Marikina River flirted with 18 meters or the third alarm level amid continued heavy rains caused by Habagat.

Quimbo--who carried out multiple Facebook livestreams throughout the day--said he received appeals from residents of Tumana who reported that the facilities were not functioning as floodwaters crept into the streets.

According to veteran solon, the stations appeared to have been left unattended, with no personnel from its contractor and operator, J.D. Legaspi Construction, present during his inspection.

“I went there myself because our people in Tumana were telling us that the pumping stations are not working. I wanted to see for myself, and what I found was deeply concerning—the facilities were not operational and there were no personnel attending to it,” Quimbo said.

He bared he had previously reached out to the contractor and urged them to ensure that the pumping stations were operational.

“I personally reached out to the operator and told them to make sure the pumping stations are working. What is unacceptable is that I was not told that the stations were still not operational even while we’re under red rainfall warning,” he said.

The Iwahig and Tumana pumping stations are intended to help manage and reduce flooding in the area. With the facilities unable to operate, floodwaters spilled into adjacent communities and streets, aggravating the situation for residents.

“At a time when our people desperately need these facilities to work, a pumping station cannot simply be left unattended. These are not ordinary equipment—we are talking about infrastructure that is supposed to protect communities from flooding,” Quimbo said.

“There is no room for substandard service, negligence, or abandonment when the safety and livelihood of our people are at stake,” he added.

He says that while the pumping station are good projects, they are practically worthless if they are not operational.

“The people of Marikina has endured enough. We cannot wait for people to lose their homes, livelihoods, or even their lives again before we demand accountability. Every pumping station must be operational when our communities need it most,” Quimbo said.