With the continuous heavy rains, the Quezon City Engineering Department (QCED) formed a 24/7 flood control team in the city to address emergency flooding situation anytime.

Joselito Cabungcal, head of the QCED, said that the team will be ready to declog inlets and the drainage systems to hasten the receding time of minor inundation referred to as “pocket floods.’’

The set-up allows motorists to move on more freely as flooding becomes manageable even at the height of continuous heavy rains on known flood-prone areas in the city.

“Minsan di naman kailangan lumusong ang mga sasakyan sa malalim na baha tuwing malakas ang ulan. Dahilan lamang ito sa mga dumi na nabara sa inlet at drainage mains kung kaya nagkakaroon ng matinding pagbabaha,’’ Cabungcal noted.

However, Cabungcal said that the team that is mostly equipped with iron rods and spades may sometimes not get the job done as the flooding may need more extensive engineering work.

Since unscrupulous individuals indiscriminately dispose their wastes on the road, Cabungcal said the discarded materials mostly made out of non-biodegradable materials find their way in the flood control systems.

For major flooding problems in the city, Cabungcal said that his office is regularly coordinating with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Earlier, Cabungcal pleaded with the informal settler staying near the waterways and areas identified as “danger zones’’ to voluntarily relocate to safer grounds as the water continuously rise to alarming levels.

He said that public cooperation is necessary to avert deaths and injuries and to lessen the burden off the shoulders of volunteer and government workers doing emergency and rescue operations during calamities.

The QCED chief added that performing emergency works and flood control operations near the waterways can be facilitated if there are less informal settlers to relocate.

He also reminded the squatter families to submit themselves to lawful surveys conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), local government units (LGUs) and other authorized agencies to facilitate the granting of benefits to legitimate beneficiaries.

“Nakakalungkot aminin na may mga professional squatter syndicates ang nagsasamantala sa mga kababayan nating mahihirap. Dahil nga sa kakulangan sa kaalaman madaling malansi ng mga mapagsamantalang grupong ito ang kawawa nating mamamayan na ang pakay ay sa sariling
kapakanan lamang,’’ Cacungcal added.