QC LGU continues working on flood control projects amidst COVID-19

This is a submitted written article for a School Requirement in Health and Science Journalism Subject

Quezon City Local Government continues rehabilitating five rivers in the city amidst Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic said SK Chairman Batol, Monday.  

Sangguniang Kabataan 4th district Chairman Ace Batol shared that as part of the QC LGU, that they are currently rehabilitating the five rivers in Quezon City for a flood control project as the city pledged to take any action on Climate Change. 

“During the rehabilitation, we fixed the creeks in each barangay so the waste in the waterways or rivers would be lessened. Along with this is a clean-up drive in each barangay,” he said in an interview last March 1, 2021 

Batol said that even they are in pandemic planning for the actions to take in response to climate change are still continuous. 

He said that the previous actions taken for flood control were successful however there are still floods in some parts of QC because of the people who do not want to follow the environmental rules set by the local government. The people are still undisciplined and keep on throwing their garbage improperly and they often drop their trash in the river that became a cause of flooding. 

“One of the reasons for flooding is the people who cannot be taught to dispose of their garbage in the proper bin. Another reason is the absence of MRFs or Material Recovery Facilities where LGUs should collect such as cartons, plastic bottles, plastics in the community for recycling purposes because these materials often cause flooding,” he answered when asked if the main cause of flooding. 

Meanwhile, he shared that there are upcoming projects for flood control being planned by QC LGU, one of which is the continuous study of proper waste management so they can learn more about effective actions to lessen the improper waste disposal of the residents.

“Usually, there are seminars held on Waste Management to make people more  competent and more prepared in the event of a disaster, one of which is to have each  house/street have their trash bin to separate their waste so that those who take out the  waste do not suffer and it will be easier for them to separate the biodegradable and the  non-biodegradable waste, and those that are useful to the unprofitable,” Batol said. 

He informed that QC LGU is still working on studying and making ways to make an effective project for flood control. He also said that the LGU is ready to face the coming typhoons because they have been improving their Emergency Response Team. 

“The actions were taken by each LGU to prevent disaster from continuing, one of which is the cleanup drive that is done once or twice a month to clean the constituencies and even the CREEKs in his barangay. And having the Sangguniang Kabataan of a project called SHOOT THAT KALAT where is an alternative method that every SK thought of to accumulate especially plastic bottles in the constituency and benefit the accumulated bottles to sell and be money that can be used in the purchase of additional cleaning equipment,” he said. 

He also calls for QC Residents to start contributing to climate change actions, to support sustainable development because it is not only for them but for future generations as well.