By Tracy Cabrera
President ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. led the inspection of Diokno Pumping Station in Pasay City with DPWH chief ‘Vince’ Dizon, Pasay mayor ‘Emi’ Calixto-Rubiano, MMDA chair Atty. ‘Don’ Artes and other officials. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. was incredulous over the cable theft at the Diokno Pumping Station near the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Pasay City, prompting him to ask why would anyone in his right mind disable a facility that is critical in preventing floods in Metro Manila.
The president underscored the importance of having all the pumping stations around the metropolis at full functional capacity as he ordered tighter security at all the MMDA’s 73 pumping stations and the deployment of additional Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel to prevent cable theft that could disrupt flood-control operations and expose communities to flooding.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) secretary Vivencio ‘Vince’ Dizon, who was with the chief executive when the latter inspected the Diokno Pumping Station, clarified that the president’s order followed the theft of cables and other components at the said pumping station more than a week ago.
The president was also joined in the inspection by Pasay City mayor Imelda ‘Emi’ Calixto-Rubiano, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Atty. Romando ‘Don’ Artes and several local officials and others from the DPWH and MMDA.
Although at least three suspects had already been apprehended by the authorities over the theft, Dizon noted that the pumping station’s contractor would be directed to replace the stolen components at no cost to the government.
“We are not about to allow the public to suffer severe flooding because pumping facilities had become inoperable due to stolen cables. This is a grave injustice, especially to honest and hardworking government personnel,” the public works chief stressed.
“The government is seeking to ensure that pumping stations remain operational, particularly during heavy rains, when the facilities are needed to help drain floodwaters from vulnerable areas,” he added.
In recent months, the DPWH has been undertaking flood-control and drainage interventions to address flooding in urban communities.
“The theft of critical equipment, however, threatens to undermine these efforts and disrupt public services,” Dizon lamented while emphasizing that the President’s directive aims to prevent a repeat of the Diokno pumping station incident and ensure that equipment theft does not compromise flood-control operations.
