Thousands of residents from 17 villages in Cainta, Rizal expressed concern on Saturday that there could be a widespread breakout of diseases due to uncollected garbage, mud, and lack of potable water.

Their concerns were relayed to municipal government officials led by Mayor Ramon Ilagan.

“We were just left like orphans by our town’s municipal government instead of helping us to collect our garbage, mud, and restore our water connection. In times like this, they should show us (people) that they are after for our own good and benefit,” said Karl Frankinberger, one of the residents.

Garbage as high as five meters filled 17 villages in Cainta and its stink was so suffocating that the villagers could no longer bear it, said Ding Bernardo, another resident.

Bernardo said if garbage remains uncollected for a few more days, they expect diseases to start afflicting the residents.

In an interview, Ilagan said some soldiers have helped city workers clean the garbage left by “Ondoy” along national roads since the water in the area has subsided.

Ilagan said the Cainta municipal government is doing its best to help residents who have been displaced or harmed by “Ondoy.”

Mud, garbage, and disruption of water supply were the main problems of the Cainta villagers for the moment, said Saturnino Sarangay, a resident.

Sarangay said now is the time for the Cainta municipal government to show their concern to its constituents in the hour of grief caused by Ondoy.

“The Cainta municipal government should help us take away the mud, garbage and restore the water connection for each village to make our lives go back to normal,” Sarangay said.

“Hindi lang palaging papogi sa camera ng TV o interview sa media kundi dapat lang tulungan ang mga mamayan na nasalanta ng baha,” Sarangay added.

Many establishments in Cainta remained closed. Although electricity in the area was restored, some parts of Cainta remained without electricity.

The Metro Bank along Felix Avenue remained closed as the glass window and door were shattered and damaged at the height of the storm

The Cainta junction is already passable to motorists. Traffic is smooth and public utility vehicles are plenty. However, only few commuters can be seen.

Last Friday night, over 200 indigents at the Village East Executive Homes in Cainta received foods and relief goods from the non-government organizations from Quezon City.

Many towns in Rizal province remained flooded. They include Tanay, Binangonan, Teresa, Angono, Cainta, and Taytay.

In Binangonan at least 17 barangays located in Talim Island remained flooded although the water level has subsided a bit.

The casualties in Rizal province due to tropical storm “Ondoy” now total 170 dead, 2,430 injured, and 102 missing based on the report by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) last Friday.

The report also stated that there were 160,624 families dislocated and 897,937 persons affected by “Ondoy” in Rizal province alone.

A volunteer from the Philippine National Red Cross said some Rizal towns, particularly Tanay, Binangonan, Teresa and Angono, have not yet received any relief goods as some non-government organizations are concentrated in Pasig, Marikina, San Mateo, Taguig, Pateros, and Laguna in their relief operations.

An irate resident in Tanay whose source of income is fishing lamented that in their area there are illegal loggers whose activities aggravated the flooding. “Kalbo na po ang kabundukan dito. Kung di kalbo ang kabundukan, di kami mababaha ng ganito,” said Mang Jose.

In Teresa, many residents whose means of livelihood is farming were not spared as most of their rice plantations supposed to be gathered were also damaged.

Rizal Gov. Junjun Ynares III and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and officials of the province visited Rodriguez, San Mateo, Cainta, Tanay, Angono, among others which were hardest hit by “Ondoy” to evaluate the damage.

Relief operations were conducted by the Rizal provincial government on order of Governor Ynares.