Residents blame drainage clogging for Bataan flood

Residents blamed the clogging in their drainage system for the chest-deep floods that inundated some areas in Bataan following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Enteng.

In Ian Cruz’s Thursday report on "24 Oras," floodwater remained in Barangay Almacen in Hermosa town and Dinalupihan town.

Among the structures submerged were the Almacen Elementary School and the community chapel.

Boats were docked in Barangay Daungan to ferry people to the nearby Almacen.

"Mababaw po kahapon [pero] ngayon tumataas po. Kinakabahan po kame [kasi] nakakatakot din yung tubig eh,” resident Marilo Muli said.

(It was shallow yesterday but the flood is rising again today. We are worried...)

“Yung iba po nagsipaglikas na dahil lubog na yung mga bahay,” resident Darwin Guinto said.

(Some residents evacuated because their houses were submerged in floodwater.)

“Ang nangyayari po bababa dito tubig tapos lalaki dito po sa amin talaga puntahan ng tubig pagka humupa na sa kanila, sa amin ang punta,” Almacen Baragay Captain Emil Villafania said.

(Our area is a catch basin. Once the flood in other areas subsides, it will flow in our area.)

In Dinalupihan town, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction And Management Office (MDRRMO) said nine barangays remain flooded.

These include Purok Singko and Purok Siyete of Barangay Sto. Niño, which is experiencing knee to chest-deep floods.

Some children even swam in the flood, unmindful of the dangers and diseases that they may acquire. 
Some residents said the flood does not subside in their area due to the clogging in their drainage system.

“Lahat ng pa-cross sa canal naman na papunta roon sa drainage walang support na screen kaya lahat ng basura pumapasok doon,” resident Bienvenido Prado said.

(Everything that crosses the canal goes to the drainage which has no screen so all the garbage enters there.)

“May program na po yung congresswoman namin doon saka yung mayor namin para palakihin po ang drainage system po nila doon,” Catherine Montemayor of the MDRRMO Dinalupihan said.

(Our congresswoman and mayor have a program to widen the drainage system in that area.)

Meanwhile, Villafania said the local government has programs to resolve the flooding in the area like widening and dredging their rivers. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News