COLLEAGUES IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ISANG MAPAGPALANG UMAGA SA INYONG LAHAT.

IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT – THE TURNOVER OF DREDGING ACTIVITIES ALONG MARIKINA RIVER, SPECIFICALLY FROM A. BONIFACIO BRIDGE TO MANGGAHAN FLOODWAY, FROM THE TASK FORCE BUILD BACK BETTER, THROUGH THE DPWH-NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION TO THE DPWH-UNIFIED PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE-FLOOD CONTROL MANAGEMENT CLUSTER. THE DPWH-UPMO IS IN-CHARGE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PASIG-MARIKINA RIVER CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PHASE 4, OF THE JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY.

IT WAS IN JULY 2021 WHEN THEN SECRETARY ROY CIMATU, AND PASIG CITY MAYOR VICO SOTTO LED THE LAUNCHING OF PHASE 2 OF THE DREDGING PROJECT ALONG MARIKINA RIVER. THIS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MARIKINA RIVER RESTORATION PROGRAM OF THE TASK FORCE BBB.

THE TURNOVER TODAY OF THE PROJECT USHERS THE TRANSITION IN THE CONDUCT OF THE DREDGING OPERATION FROM TASK FORCE BBB TO DPWH-UPMO. BUT THE OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY REMAINS THE SAME –THAT IS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF PERENNIAL FLOODING IN MARIKINA, PASIG, AND QUEZON CITY.

AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2021, A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 30 THOUSAND CUBIC METERS HAD BEEN DREDGED BY DPWH-NCR ALONG BARANGAY SANTOLAN OVER AN AREA OF ALMOST 13 THOUSAND SQUARE METERS, THAT IS 1.3 HECTARES.

UNDER PHASE 1, DPWH-NCR HAS COMPLETED DREDGING ACTIVITIES ALONG 3 SITES IN MARIKINA. THIS ACTIVITY YIELDED MORE THAN 41 THOUSAND CUBIC METERS OF DREDGED MATERIALS. WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE CHOKEPOINTS ALONG OLANDES SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT, THE RIVERBANKS, AND SM CITY MARIKINA, INCLUDING THE BF CITY, AND RECOVERED 20 TO 30 METERS OF THE RIVER’S WIDTH. THIS BROADENED THE RIVER TO 90 TO 100 METERS AND REGAINED AN ADDITIONAL DEPTH OF TWO METERS. THE BAMBOOS PLANTED ALSO HELPED IN THE RIVERBANK RESTORATION.

NO ONE CAN DENY THAT WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THIS UNDERTAKING AS EVIDENCED BY IMPROVED CONDITIONS OF THE CITIES OF MARIKINA AND PASIG DURING THE SEASON OF INTENSE RAINS AND HEAVY RAINFALL LAST YEAR.

ON BEHALF OF MY DEAR DENR, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY PROFOUND AND HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION OF THE DPWH-NCR AND THE SUPPORT OF THE MARIKINA CITY GOVERNMENT HEADED BY THE HARDWORKING MARCY TEODORO, THAT LED TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TASK FORCE BBB.

ALTHOUGH WE ARE TURNING OVER THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE THE DPWH-UPMO OF THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THE DENR TO THE PROJECT. AFTER ALL, WE SHARE THE SAME VISION FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.

WE ALSO HEAR THAT THERE ARE PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY BOTH THE DPWH AND MMDA. REST ASSURED THAT ANY ASSISTANCE THAT THE DENR CAN EXTEND, WE WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY WE CAN.

SA LAHAT NG NAGING BAHAGI NG PROYEKTONG ITO, MARAMING SALAMAT PO. MULI, ISANG MAKA-KALIKASANG ARA W SA A TING LAHAT.

MABUHAY!