President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. pegged climate change and common trash disposal practices as the culprits of extensive flooding in Metro Manila.
Marcos cited reports comparing Super Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 to Typhoon Carina, which claimed the latter had brought worse floods on Wednesday, July 24.
Following his ocular inspection in Navotas and Valenzuela, the President recommended a reexamination of flood control infrastructure. However, there being more flood control projects than in previous such calamities would not match up to climate change.
"Mas marami tayong flood control (projects) ngayon kaysa noon," he said. "... This is what the effects of climate change are."
("We have more flood control projects now than we did before.")
The President was also taken aback by the amount of garbage that had clogged up the dozens of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) pumping stations in both Navotas and Valenzuela. He appealed to Filipinos to practice discipline and learn to properly dispose of their waste.
"Sana matuto ang mga tao, huwag kayong magtatapon ng basura. Dahil 'yung basura, 'yun ang nagbara doon sa mga pump natin."
("I hope people learn not to throw trash everywhere. Because the trash, that is what blocks our pumps.")
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that the monsoon, strengthened by Typhoon Carina, had brought about 13 landslides, the evacuation of more than 600,000 people, and the deaths of 14 in the country.
