Navotas: Navotas City officials are stepping up efforts to fix the city's aging navigational gate and collapsed river wall following days of high tide and flooding that forced residents of Barangay San Jose to evacuate.
According to Philippines News Agency, Navotas Lone District Rep. Toby Tiangco stated that he is working closely with the Department of Public Works and Highways-National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the local district engineering office to ensure that repairs to the critical navigational gate meet international welding and safety standards.
The 30-year-old gate plays a crucial role in controlling the water level of Navotas River. Officials say the driving arm mechanism, which lifts the gate, must be fully operational to prevent river water from surging to nearby communities during high tide. Tiangco mentioned that inspection revealed cracks in the gate's driving arm, further highlighting the need for careful and permanent repairs.
The collapse of a private river wall on Saturday also caused neck-deep flooding in Barangay San Jose. Temporary barriers such as sandbags and plywood have been put up to hold back water in the meantime, but residents were advised to stay alert as more high tides are forecast. A 1.9-meter tide was recorded on Sunday, inundating parts of Navotas and neighboring Malabon.
Tiangco emphasized the critical nature of the driving arm, which carries the heaviest load, and noted that repairs should undergo testing under the American Welding Society and Bureau of Shipping standards to ensure the structure will hold. To prevent massive flooding incidents in the long term, he requested DPWH Secretary Manny Bonoan to fund a second navigational gate.
Bonoan has committed to finding funding for the new gate and has already submitted the necessary report to the district engineer to begin the process. However, Tiangco cautioned that constructing a second gate would take time, so immediate and proper repairs to the existing gate are essential.
