DPWH, MMDA working to address flooding, traffic congestion, says Palace official

A woman wades her way on Imelda avenue circa Sept 2009 in the Philippines. Typhoon Ondoy left hundreds of thousand families displaced and killed hundreds of people. (Timothy Medrano / Shutterstock)

MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority are working together to address flooding and traffic congestion in Metro Manila, a Palace official said.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government is working to build the necessary facilities to address those problems in the metropolis.

One initiative of the DPWH, according to Coloma, is the construction of a catchment area in España in Manila because it is a flood-prone area in Metro Manila.

“Ibig sabihin, kapag may catchment area, mayroong sasalo doon sa bugso ng tubig-baha para hindi bahain kaagad ang ating mga main thoroughfare,” Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on the other hand, continues to do extensive clean up operations of esteros and drainage canals to prevent flooding.

To address traffic congestion, Coloma said one of the most important things was the National Economic Development Authority’s approval of the comprehensive roadmap for Metro Manila.

The roadmap was proposed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency to ease traffic congestion in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Japan is helping the Philippines implement the comprehensive roadmap for Metro Manila and nearby areas.