Flashfloods, landslide hit Lanao Norte

HUNDREDS of families in the province of Lanao del Norte were affected by flashfloods and landslide on Monday due to heavy downpour from Typhoon Gener.

Based on the data provided by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), heavy rains on Monday around 7 a.m. triggered the flooding and landslide in three municipalities of Lanao del Norte.

OCD Regional Director Ana Cañeda told Sun.Star that at least five barangays in Sapad, one in Kapatagan and six in Sultan Naga Dimaporo were affected by the flashflood, displacing around 250 families.

She said in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town particularly in Barangay Bangaan, 150 families were reportedly affected while 100 families were affected in Barangay Bauyan and 27 in Barangay Sigayan.

Cañeda said there were no fatalities reported as of this posting and that floodwater already subsided.

Related to this, Senator Francis Escudero proposed a “PPP” solution to the worsening flood problem in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

“The best approach is a massive joint government-private sector initiative to address the perennial flood problem all over the country. Wala na dapat turuan o batuhan ng sisi. We have to get our acts together,” Escudero said.

Escudero, who chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, urged the people to clean up waterways and make sure that it would stay clean.

“Otherwise, the country continues to suffer flooding forever,” he said.

The senator made the call in the wake of heavy rains dumped by “Gener” in several parts of the country since Sunday. Classes and work were also suspended in some affected areas.

Escudero said the task of solving the flood problem cannot be the responsibility of just one entity.

“We can earmark billions of pesos for dredging and other anti-flood activities, but it will not solve the problem. Ginawa na ‘yan dati, at ilang administrasyon na ang nagdaan, pero andyan pa din ang baha,” he said.

He said the components of massive flooding are interconnected and that a comprehensive solution is needed.

Escudero said government agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resource, Metro Manila Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways will have to work more closely with the private sector, including individuals, companies and non-government organizations, in hammering out an action plan to address flooding.

“We have no shortage of experts to tell us how to go about it. And we don’t have a shortage of private companies and citizens who are willing to help. So kapag itinahi-tahi natin lahat yan, I’m sure we can find a solution. Nagawa na ito sa ibang bansa, so it has been proven that flood mitigation is not an impossible dream,” the senator added. (Annabelle L. Ricalde)