Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco refuses to be complacent despite the apparent effectiveness of the city's flood control system amid the Habagat-strengthened rains in the metropolis.

Despite days of persistent rainfall, the city's navigational gate, coastal dike, flood gates, concrete box culverts, and network of pumping stations have been working in unison to keep floodwaters under control. This has prevented seawater from entering communities during high tide while efficiently draining rainwater from city streets.

"Hindi pa kumpleto ang proyektong ito. Marami pa tayong kailangang gawin at ayusin. Hindi tayo titigil sa paghahanap ng mga paraan upang lalo pang maprotektahan ang ating mga kababayan," Tiangco said on Thursday, Aug 13.

(This project is not yet complete. We still have much to do and fix. We will not stop seeking ways to further protect our people.)

For one of the country's lowest-lying coastal cities—surrounded by Manila Bay and the Navotas-Malabon River and crisscrossed by approximately 15 kilometers of waterways—effective flood management is not a luxury but a necessity.

In particular, the navigational gate regulates tidal waters to prevent seawater from flowing into the Navotas-Malabon River during high tide.

Unsatisfied, Tiangco has set his sights on a second navigational gate.

"Sa ngayon ang pinaka-importante dito ay ang pangalawang navigational gate, dahil ang kasalukyang navigational gate ay luma na, may mga abnormal na tunog at naapawan na ng tubig kapag malakas ang alon," he said.

(For now, the most important part is the second navigational gate, because the current one is old, produces abnormal sounds, and gets flooded when waves are strong.)

"Pag sira ang navigational gate, bali wala na ang lahat ng ibang bahagi ng flood control system natin dahil tagos ang tubig hight tide, kaya dapat magkaroon ng back na bagong navigational gate," the veteran lawmaker stressed.

(If the navigational gate fails, the entire flood control system becomes useless since water passes through at high tide, so a new backup navigational gate must be built.)

He says the Habagat rains serve as another demonstration that when government projects are well-conceived, properly implemented, and consistently maintained, they continue to protect communities for generations.

The city's coastal dike serves as a barrier against storm surges and tidal flooding from Manila Bay, while strategically operated flood gates allow the passage of municipal fishing boats during low tide before closing ahead of high tide.

Complementing these are the city's pumping stations, which continuously remove accumulated rainwater, and underground concrete box culverts beneath major roads that temporarily impound and channel excess water. These interconnected systems must all function together for the city's flood defenses to be effective.

Tiangco vowed to continue to work and invest in projects that provide stronger protection for his constituents

"Hangad natin na dumating ang panahon na ang bawat Navoteño ay makapamuhay nang malaya sa takot na dulot ng pagbaha sa tuwing may malakas na ulan o mataas na tubig," he said.

(We hope for the time when every Navoteño can live free from the fear of flooding during heavy rains or high water.)