THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will hold its "Oplan Kontra Baha" Summit, an initiative meant to find solutions to address the worsening problem of flooding in the metropolis.
In a televised briefing on Wednesday, MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III said that the agency already held exploratory talks with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and San Miguel Corp. to address the issue.
"We will have many speakers and stakeholders there, as well as private entities involved in it," Torre said in Filipino.
“A lot of aspects can really be discussed, including those penal provisions and if there is anything we can do to intervene against those violators who we know are contributors to the floods,” he added.
Among those invited to share their insights at the summit slated for Feb. 5, Thursday, at the DPWH Central Office are the University of the Philippines’ Dr. Guillermo Tabios III and Dr. Alfredo Mahar-Lagmay, who is also executive director of Project NOAH.
“We will be given matrices on how we measure the progress of our programs, plus how we are faring in the implementation of these programs,” Torre said.
Apart from the summit, Torre said he also ordered regular preventive maintenance for all pumping stations to ensure all are working.
“Since my assumption, that is one of the things I always emphasize to those of us who maintain and are in charge of pumping stations — the simulation exercises and the regular preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, predictive maintenance of these stations. So, that's our control; we really make sure that it will operate when needed,” he said.
Likewise, the MMDA holds regular dialogue with local government units for activities and programs related to flood mitigation, traffic and waste management.
“There are unique programs and partnerships with different LGUs depending on their needs,” Torre said.
