DOTr calls out MRT-7, Skyway over issues amid floods
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon told Dobol B TV on Tuesday that he and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have been discussing the flooding issue in recent weeks.
'Kahapon, kinausap ko lahat ng kontratista po ng MRT-7 at sinabihan ko sila na kailangan i-clear lahat ng humaharang sa mga drainage dyan po sa Commonwealth Avenue,' he said.
(Yesterday, I spoke to all the MRT-7 contractors and told them that they need to clear everything that blocks the drainage along Commonwealth Avenue.)
Dizon said the San Miguel Corporation has committed to addressing the concerns in the MRT-7 project.
The MMDA earlier said the construction of the MRT-7 Batasan Station on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City could have partially obstructed the flow of rainwater, worsening the flood in the area.
The agency said the MRT-7 project 'constructed a manhole directly above the existing drainage pipe culverts.'
'A constructed footing wall of the ongoing MRT-7 construction was also observed, which may have partially obstructed the flow of water,' it added.
Meanwhile, addressing the Skyway's downspouts that are not directly connected to drainage, Dizon said he ordered San Miguel Corporation and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fix the issue.
'Yun naman po sa Skyway, kinausap ko rin po ang San Miguel pero ang sinabi po sa akin na na-turn over po sa DPWH,' Dizon said.
(As for the Skyway, I also talked to San Miguel but they told me that it was turned over to the DPWH.)
'Sabi ko po mag-usap ang regional director ng NCR po ng DPWH at ang San Miguel para huwag muna pong magtuturuan at ayusin na lang po muna yung pagbabagsak ng tubig mula sa itaas,' he added.
(I told the NCR regional director of the DPWH and San Miguel to talk, stop pointing fingers at each other and to fix the water falling from above.)
Six people were reported to have died as a result of Tropical Cyclone Crising, Habagat, and the low pressure area (LPA), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Tuesday.
A total of 1,266,322 persons or 362,465 families were affected by the bad weather in all regions in the country except for Eastern Visayas.
Floods, landslides, collapsed structures, and tornadoes were reported in the affected areas. — RF, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
12 hours ago
- GMA Network
SONA 2025: Infrastructure projects to continue, vows Marcos
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. during his State of the Nation Address on Monday said the completion of the government's big-ticket infrastructure projects will continue even beyond his term. 'Asahan ninyo, magpapatuloy ang malawakang programang pang-imprastraktura ng Administrasyon,' Marcos said in his fourth SONA at the Batasang Pambansa. (You should expect that the administration's extensive infrastructure initiative will continue.) 'Ang mga naglalakihang proyekto ay nakalatag na sa buong kapuluan. Mga daan, tulay, tren, paliparan, pantalan, patubig, at murang pabahay. Ilan dito, matatapos ngayong administrasyon. Ang iba naman, makukumpleto at mararamdaman ang dalang ginhawa pagkatapos na ng aking termino,' the President said. (Big-ticket projects are already in place in the entire archipelago. These are roads, bridges, trains, airports, seaports, waterworks, and affordable housing. Some of these will be completed before the end of my administration while some will be finished and its benefits will be felt by the end of my term.) Marcos assured the government is investing for the county's future. 'We are not building only for today, but we are building for tomorrow,' he said. The President cited the ongoing North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway projects. 'Patuloy din ang pagpapaganda natin sa serbisyo ng MRT at LRT (Service improvements at the MRT and LRT are ongoing as well),' he said. The country's chief touted the increased fare discounts for students, seniors, and PWDs to 50% as well as the 1+3 'Pamilya Pass' every Sunday at the LRT and MRT systems. Marcos added the administration is working on operationalizing the idle Dalian trains for MRT-3, which were purchased in 2014. 'Halos singkwentang dagdag na karwahe ang natengga nang sampung taon. Sayang ang pera. Sayang ang isang dekada. Pero ngayon, naayos na natin. Ang tatlong bagon ay nagagamit na ngayon. Asahan ninyo, ang ilan sa apatnapu't lima ay magagamit na rin natin bago matapos ang taong ito; at ang iba ay sa susunod na taon naman,' Marcos said. (Almost 50 additional carriages lay idle for 10 years. That was money and a decade wasted. But now we were able to fix them. Three trains are now operational. You can expect some of the remaining 45 carriages will be added before the year ends; and the rest will be running in 2026.) Bataan-Cavite bridge Marcos said the multi-billion dollar Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge will begin construction before the year ends. 'Kung ang biyahe ngayon mula Mariveles hanggang Naic ay umaabot nang limang oras, balang araw ito ay magiging apatnapu't limang minuto na lamang,' he said. (If the current travel time from Mariveles, Bataan to Naic, Cavite is five hours long, it will be shortened to just 45 minutes.) Spanning a distance of 32.15 kilometers, the project is poised to provide a strategic convergence between Regions III and IV-A, fostering greater economic growth and improved tourism. 'Ang mga riles ng PNR Bicol Line na sinira ng bagyong Kristine ay unti-unting pinatibay at naa-ayos na, kasama na ang Binahan Bridge. Hindi magtatagal, madadagdagan pa ang haba ng linya nito, at aabot na sa Ragay, Camarines Sur hanggang Tagkawayan, Quezon,' Marcos said. (The rails of PNR Bicol Line that were damaged by Typhoon Kristine are being reinforced and repaired. It won't take long until its line will be extended further reaching Ragay, Camarines Sur up to Tagkawayan, Quezon.) The President said the project will ease traffic congestion for motorists going between Quezon province and the Bicol Region. SLEX extension Marcos added that the extension of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Tiaong, Quezon will be completed by 2026. 'Kapag natapos ang buong proyekto, ang dating apat na oras na biyahe, magiging isang oras na lamang,' he said. 'Kaya ina-atasan ko ang DOTr at DPWH na bantayang mabuti ang mga proyekto sa kahabaan ng Quezon patulak ng Bicol, at tiyaking tama ang kalidad, matibay, at nasa takdang oras ng pagtatapos,' he added. (When the project is finished, what used to be a four-hour trip will just be an hour. That's why I directed the DOTr and DPWH to closely supervise these projects from Quezon to Bicol in order to ensure quality, durability and on time completion.) Mindanao projects In his SONA, the country's chief executive also mentioned the infrastructure projects in Mindanao. 'Ang Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge, na una sa tatlong mahahalagang tulay na ginagawa ngayon sa Tawi-Tawi, ay nabuksan na,' Marcos said. 'Sa susunod na taon, ang tulay sa Malassa-Lupa Pula naman ang matatapos,' he added. (The Nalil-Sikkiat Bridge, the first of three important bridges being constructed in Tawi-Tawi, has been opened. Next year, the Malassa-Lupa Pula Bridge will be completed.) The President said the government is also working on the Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project. 'Sa proyektong ito, aayusin natin ang mga pangunahing daan na nag-uugnay sa Cagayan de Oro, Davao, at General Santos, na may haba na apat na raan at dalawampu't walong kilometro,' Marcos said. (This project will address the primary road linking Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos City that has a length of 428 kilometers.) Guadalupe Bridge rehab The President said he will not allow the rehabilitation of the Guadalupe Bridge to be stalled further to the next administration. 'Nasa Senado pa lamang ako, pinag-uusapan na ito. Hindi ko na papayagang tumawid pa ito ng isa pang administrasyon. Kaligtasan na ng publiko ang nakataya,' Marcos said. 'Hindi po isasara ang Guadalupe Bridge. Gagawa muna tayo ng detour bridge sa magkabilang gilid bilang pansamantalang daanan. Kapag nagawa na at binuksan na ang detour bridge, doon pa lamang sisimulan ang trabaho sa main bridge,' he said. (This was already being planned since I was in the Senate. I will not allow this issue to reach yet another administration. Public safety is at stake here. Guadalupe Bridge will not be closed. A detour bridge will be constructed on opposite ends as a temporary measure. Once the detour bridge is finished, we will start work on the main bridge.) Hanging bridges 'At sa kabila ng mga higanteng tulay na ito, huwag nating kaliligtaan ang mga hanging bridge sa iba't ibang lugar sa ating bansa,' Marcos said. 'Mahalaga ang mga ito sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ng publiko, lalo na sa mga guro at estudyante. Ilan ang nabalitaan kong insidente ng pagbagsak ng mga tulay na ganito. Halimbawa, iyong nangyari sa Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur, at sa iba pang mga lugar, Kawawa naman ang mga kababayan nating walang kamalay-malay na nabiktima at nasaktan, na pawang mga batang mag-aaral at kanilang mga guro,' the President said. (Aside from these giant bridges, we have not forgotten the hanging bridges in several parts of the country. These serve the daily lives of the public, especially teachers and students. I have received reports of these bridges of this type falling. An example is that of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur and other places. What happened to our countrymen such as teachers and students, is saddening.) The President said he has tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity to look into the condition of these hanging bridges. 'Sa tulong ng PAMANA (PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn) at iba pang mga programa, ayusin at kumpunihin natin agad,' Marcos said. (With the help of PAMANA, and other programs, we will fix and inspect these immediately.) Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge Marcos said corruption in administering government projects will not be overlooked, citing the collapsed Cabaga-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela. 'Ang kapalpakan sa pagdisenyo at sa pagkakagawa; Ang mababang kalidad at marupok na mga materyales; Ang pagka-antala ng proyekto; at ang kapabayaan sa tamang pagmentina at pagkumpuni,' he said. 'Halimbawa, ang Cabagan-Sta. Maria bridge sa Isabela na sinimulan noong 2014. Ginastusan ng taumbayan ng isang bilyon. Sampung taong buksan, ilang araw pa lang, giba na agad. Ang mahal. Ang tagal ginawa. Ang bilis nasira,' he added. (The sloppy design and construction; the low quality and poor quality of materials; the delays in the project; and the careless maintenance and repair. For example, the Cabagan-Sta. Maria Bridge in Isabela that began in 2014. Taxpayers paid P1 billion. It took 10 years to finish. After it opened, in just a few days, it collapsed. It was expensive and took a long time to build. It quickly fell down.) Marcos, meanwhile, cited the San Juanico Bridge —a legacy project of his father and namesake— built about 50 years ago. 'Ang San Juanico Bridge naman: limampung taon na, nakatayo pa rin hanggang ngayon. Ganoon siya katibay. Ngunit nakaligtaan naman ang wastong pagmentina at pagkumpuni sa pagdaan ng mga dekada. Nalagay pa tuloy sa panganib ang publiko. Hindi dapat ganito,' he said. (The San Juanico Bridge: After 50 years, it still stands. It's a tough bridge. But through the decades its maintenance and repair have been neglected. This has placed the public at risk. It should not be like this.) 'Sa Build Better More, higit ang kapakanan at kaligtasan ng mamamayan. Ang mga proyekto, tama dapat ang disenyo. Mataas dapat ang kalidad. Natatapos dapat sa takdang oras. At naaalagaan at namementinang mabuti,' he added. (Under Build Better More, the welfare and safety of the people are the priority. The projects should be properly designed. Their quality should be high. They should be finished within the allotted time. And undergo proper care and maintenance.) — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
PNP, MMDA: Ready for SONA 2025
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Sunday that they have made the necessary preparations for the fourth State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday, July 28. In an interview over Super Radyo dzBB, NCRPO spokesperson Police Major Hazel Asilo said they have been closely coordinating with the intelligence community. LIVE sa DZBB: PMaj. Hazel Asilo, chief, Public Information Office, NCRPO ????: 594 kHz AM band ????: ????: — DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) July 26, 2025 'Mahigpit po yung ating ginagawang koordinasyon sa ating intelligence community at sa pangunguna ng ating regional director ay wala po taying na-monitor na matinding banta na magko-cause po ng hindi maganda kumbaga sa araw ng SONA ng ating Pangulo,' she said. (We are closely coordinating with the intelligence community and through the leadership of our regional director (Police Brigadier General Anthony Aberin) we have not monitored any serious threats that would cause anything untoward the SONA of our President.) Regarding the planned protest actions that are a staple of any SONA, the NCRPO official said there are rallyists or groups that have been approved by the Quezon City local government but whose permits are subject to conditions to ensure their activities do not violate any laws and will be orderly. 'Pagdating po sa mga nagsabi na magkakaroon po sila ng kilos protesta, meron po tayong mga raliyista o mga grupo na inapprove na po ng local government yung mga kanila pong magiging rally bukas at kasabay po ng pag approve ng kanilang mga permits pero po tayong inilatag na mga kondisyon para naman po maging maayos yung kanilang pagsasagawa ng kanilang mga kilos protesta,' Asilo said. Asilo said both pro- and anti-government groups will only be allowed up to the St. Peter's Parish Church. She said the same location to assemble was done to be fair and not to show bias towards any group. The NCRPO said 22,987 police personnel have been deployed to conduct security for the annual event. Of the total complement, 16,600 are cops assigned to the NCRPO while support units from Region 4A of Police Regional Office 3 number 3,707 police officers while other agencies have contributed 3,2020 personnel. MMDA Meanwhile, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said the MMDA has prepared to ensure that traffic and floods will not hinder the SONA. In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Artes said, 'Handang handa na po tayo. Mag iimplement po tayo ng counterflow or zipper lane as usual sa Commonwealth Avenue para mabigyan daan po ang mga dadalo ng SONA na guests such as foreign dignitaries makadaan po sa kabilang lane para hindi po maabala.' (We are very ready. We will implement a counterflow along Commonwealth Avenue to allow SONA visitors such as foreign dignitaries to pass through without delay.) To prevent possible flooding, the MMDA head said it has deployed temporary pumps that would quickly transfer water from the highway to a creek. It will also widen drainage inlets to allow more water to pass through. 'Naiayos na din natin po ang drainage inlet sa Commonwealth with the assistance of San Miguel Corp. Nilakihan po ang pasukan ng tubig para po mabilis makapunta sa drainage at mailabas papunta po sa creek sa kabilang side. Water coming from the IPP Road. During inspection, the one foot by one foot of what was formerly two meters by three meters. Can't say who was behind the reduction. Old images show there were formerly several inlets that have since disappeared,' he explained. Artes said when the MMDA talked to the latest contractor of the MRT-7, the company said they are the second contractor and that they do not know what happened that caused the missing inlets. The MMDA chief said the agency is not looking for someone to blame or making excuses but are instead looking for a workable solution. Artes said the solution the MMDA has come up with is to install two large inlets where water could pass through to the other side of the major thoroughfare to a creek. According to Artes, there is also a post blocking the drainage that has become a chokepoint for rainwater. As a temporary measure, the MMDA has deployed temporary pumps to redirect the water to the creek on the opposite side of the highway. Last Saturday, the agency said that aside from runoff water, the water level was manageable. 'Hopefully masustain namin whole year round tuwing may pag ulan ang ganitong programa and maayos po yung drainage para maiwasan po yung poste na naitayo.' he said. (Hopefully, we could sustain this program every time it rains and we fix the drainage to avoid the post that was constraucted.) The MMDA said the No Contract Apprehension Policy (NCAP) will be implemented along Commonwealth Avenue. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
WATCH: Marcos inspects Navotas navigational gate, visits evacuation center
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr on Saturday went to Navotas City to inspect the damaged navigational gate and visit an evacuation center after floods hit the city this week. Marcos was welcomed by Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco as he inspected the navigational gate, according to a video posted on X by GMA Integrated News reporter Bernadette Reyes. He thereafter visited the Tanza National High School and greeted the residents who took shelter there amid floods in their communities, according to videos taken by GMA Integrated News reporter Katrina Son and Super Radyo dzBB reporter Christian Maño. PANOORIN: Pagdating ni Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. sa Tanza National High School sa Navotas City na nagsilbing evacuation center ng ilang residente dahil sa masamang panahon. | via Katrina Son/GMA Integrated News — GMA Integrated News (@gmanews) July 26, 2025 WATCH: Pang. Bongbong Marcos, binisita ang mga evacuee sa Tanza National Highschool sa Navotas City na naapektuhan ng bagyo at habagat | @dzbb @gmanews — Christian Maño (@xtian_mano) July 26, 2025 Many areas in Navotas got flooded this week due to heavy rains from the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, as well as the high tide. —KG, GMA Integrated News
