The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is keen to complete the first phase of its flood control project in the Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela (Camanava) area by December, encouraged by the fact that the initial facilities built for the project were already able to keep flooding to a minimum in the area during the onslaught of tropical storm “Ondoy.”

Carla Bartolo, DPWH Camanava flood control project director, said only five out of 21 communities in Malabon, which used to have a knee- and chest-high flood, were affected by the floods because of the construction of anti-flood facilities in the area.

“There was only a very minimal flooding in the Caloocan, Malabon and Navotas areas mainly because of the anti-flood facilities that we have constructed there such as the pumping stations, flood gates, and navigation gates,” Bartolo said.

While many areas of Metro Manila were under deep water during the height of the storm, there was no substantial flooding in Camanava as the DPWH’s P3.5-billion flood control project had begun to do its work, Bartolo said.

Camanava had gained the reputation of being a flood-prone area even without the onset of heavy rains. Since it’s a coastal area, Camanava used to be susceptible to deep flooding especially whenever there was high tide. But all that now appears to be history.

Asked about the criticisms on the flood-control project, Bartolo replied: “Hindi mo na talaga maiiwasan ‘yan, but haven’t you heard Mayor Oreta of Malabon say that there was no need for them to use rubber boats after ‘Ondoy’ triggered floods in many areas?

Instead they lent their boats to the local governments of Cainta and Pasig which needed them badly.”

She also noted that no facilities in Camanava were damaged during the onslaught of “Ondoy.”

The DPWH is looking at implementing the second phase of the flood control project amounting to P10.5 billion by 2012 or 2013 since the agency has yet to conduct detailed engineering designs and furnish required documents to other agencies.

The project covers the flood-prone areas of Valenzuela, Obando, and Meycauayan in Bulacan. When finished, it will alleviate flooding in an area measuring 21 sq kms, mostly in Valenzuela and Obando and some parts of Meycauayan.