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Taytay mayor bats for desilting of Laguna de Bay to prevent widespread flooding

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/11/13/20151007-fishermen-rtr.jpg"/><figcaption>A fisherman rides on a banca to inspect fish pens that need to be dismantled to make way for an expressway at Laguna de Bay in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Oct. 7, 2015. <em>Erik De Castro, Reuters/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA— Taytay, Rizal Mayor Joric Gacula on Friday called on the national government to desilt the Laguna de Bay to avoid further disastrous floods in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.</p><p>He said increasing the holding capacity of the country’s largest lake for rainwater and floodwater would spare surrounding communities from being deluged during the rainy season.</p><p>“Iyang mga towns na nakapalibot sa lake kaya nagbabaha ho ‘yan, pagka tumaas ‘yung Laguna Lake, walang napupuntahan ‘yung tubig ulan,” Gacula told Teleradyo.</p><p>(Those towns that surround the lake experience flooding when Laguna Lake reaches its holding capacity and the rainwater spills over.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJpRtpmpoNo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Gacula said the local government of Taytay procured an amphibious excavator a month before the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.</p><p>“Ang plano namin whole year round ay nandiyan ang amphibious excavator. Walang gagawin kundi hukayin nang hukayin ang tributaries papunta sa Laguna Lake,” he said.</p><p>(We plan to deploy the amphibious excavator whole year round. It will continue to dig tributaries leading to Laguna Lake.)</p><p>To date, there have been no reports of casualties in Taytay due to Ulysses, he said. Majority of their roads have also been cleared of floods.</p><p>Ulysses lashed parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, Thursday, unleashing floods that submerged villages and displaced scores of familes.</p>

<p>Taytay, Rizal mayor Joric Gacula on Friday called on the national government to desilt the Laguna de Bay to avoid further disastrous floods in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.</p>

Taytay, Rizal mayor Joric Gacula on Friday called on the national government to desilt the Laguna de Bay to avoid further disastrous floods in Metro Manila and Calabarzon.