By Agnes T. Jalandoni

At the rate the Banago floodway is going it seems it will never be finished this year. The March heat gave way to a heavy downpour last Wednesday; unusual weather this time of the year. Global warming is real and is here. It was a good thing that the rains lasted only an hour or so or else, the floods would have come again.

After the big flood of December 20, 2006 the City government and the DPWH finally decided to work together to build a floodway to ease the flooding in the northern part of the city. The plans for the Banago floodway were drawn up after many consultations since both government agencies could not agree on whose responsibility it was to solve flooding in the area. One argument was that the road in question was a national highway and the floodway would be built beside it. Therefore, it was under the jurisdiction of the DPWH. But the removal of the illegal structures and illegal structures in the area, and flood control in the city is the responsibility of the local city government. A compromise was struck. With the initial budget for the floodway released, the DPWH agreed that it would do the excavation, riprap and flooring of the first 300 meters of the floodway. The city promised to excavate the remaining 500 meters and assist in the removal of illegal structures and illegal dwellers that obstruct the waterways.

Finally by mid-2007 the project started and dragged on at a pace that would make your mother cry. Nagging or making “kulit” reached epic proportions as engineers were reminded of their meetings and the city’s legal department was requested help in the process of removing the illegal structures so that work could continue all through 2008.

Now in March 2009, how much of the work has been completed? 270 meters of the 800 meters!

What of the remaining 500 meters and the promise of the city government to excavate the remaining portion of the floodway?
We are told that the second tranche of the budget has already been released. The DPWH is waiting for the city to start the excavation. However, there is a property owned by the PNB where the floodway will cross. Both Congressman Monico Puentevella and Mayor Evelio Leonardia have said that negotiations with the PNB officials were done. Can the last 500 meters of the floodway cross the property? The rains are here to stay. The waters will rise, the floods will come. It’s crazy weather.

What’s even more absurd is the Banago project - only 800 meters - already two years in the making and still unfinished.

There is a beautiful GK Village by the floodway. Last year these newly built homes were knee high under water. Unless the flooding is controlled, construction of the new houses cannot continue.

With elections coming in May 2010 will our elected officials finally get this project done?*