Work in Progress: Valenzuela City Reports Significant Progress on Citywide Cleaning and Dredging Operations

Intensified cleaning and dredging operations on key waterways in the city have remained underway since they began earlier this month. The City Government of Valenzuela, along with partners from national agencies and the private sector, namely the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and NLEX Corporation, conducted a site visit to monitor the status of the cleanup drive and identify the challenges concerning the operations. They visited the Caingin Creek in Tugatog, Meycauayan, which the city government and the aforementioned agencies collaboratively address.

During their visit, DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon also discussed the site development of PANATAG Water Catchment at Barangay Dalandanan, to which he expressed support for its immediate completion. Due to the scale of Caingin Creek and the volume of waste that requires disposal, the DOTr prompts for a national budget allocation proposal to add more heavy equipment for dredging and hauling off garbage and other debris in the area.

As of August 26, 2025, 2 key waterways were marked as complete, namely the Paso de Blas Creek (Upstream of NLEX) and Ilang-ilang Creek in Barangay Maysan. Both were extracted with approximately 53 cubic meters and 460 cubic meters of waste, respectively. Meanwhile, the remaining 9 creeks are currently undergoing dredging and hauling of debris as of late. However, due to the current tropical depression that entered the PAR and has made landfall, the City Government ensures to maintain the progress and keep the waterways clean, especially from the impending onslaught of waste caused by the heavy rains.

Aside from gathering and disposing of waste, the widening of creeks was also part of the cleaning operations by extracting overgrown vegetation surrounding the creek and hauling off landmasses that are blocking the stream. Some creeks also underwent demolition of illegal or dangerous structures above the creeks at Barangay Maysan and Jasmine St., Barangay Punturin, to ensure that there will be no obstructions in the main waterways.

Coinciding with the continuous cleanup were the operations of Oplan Balik Linis Ganda and Task Force Kalinisan, headed by the city’s Waste Management Division and Flood Control Division. Ongoing drainage declogging was reported in the following areas:

Elysian, Marulas
Dulong Tangke, Malinta
Sitio Kabatuhan, Gen. T. De Leon
Marcelo St., Malanday
BBB, Marulas
PNR, Dalandanan

Alongside the weekly declogging and clearing operations, the Task Force Kalinisan also implements services such as defogging, flushing, animal control, grass cutting, tree trimming, wall repainting, obstruction demolition, and “linis ganda” detangling cables and wirings across 33 barangays, simultaneously.

Preparing for potential tropical cyclones that might enter the vicinity, the City Government also kick-started the upgrading of 9 pumping stations across the city to ensure that the existing flood-mitigating measures in the city remain effective and intact in the face of unpredictable weather conditions.

Reassuring Valenzuelanos in the midst of a challenging climate, the City Government of Valenzuela is continuously mobilizing working groups while maintaining close coordination with partner agencies in order to secure an efficient and timely accomplishment of tasks in these large-scale cleanup operations.

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Valenzuela City Holds Flood Summit Showcasing Disaster Resilience Initiatives

The City Government of Valenzuela, led by Mayor WES Gatchalian, held the "PANATAG: Valenzuela's Flood Control Resilience Initiatives" summit on August 23, 2025 at the ALERT Multi-purpose Center Hall in Barangay Malinta, bringing together local officials, experts, and community representatives to present the city's comprehensive flood mitigation strategies and long-term plans against recurring disasters.

The summit was organized in the wake of the successive onslaught of Typhoons Crising, Dante, Emong, and the enhanced habagat which battered northern and central Luzon in July. These weather disturbances triggered days of heavy rainfall that submerged many low-lying areas of Valenzuela, displaced thousands of residents, and prompted the declaration of a state of calamity by the City Council through Resolution No. 3503, Series of 2025.

Given its geographical location as a low-lying area intersected by creeks and drainage lines, Valenzuela has long been vulnerable to flooding. To address this challenge, the City Government showcased both community-driven and infrastructure-based solutions during the summit.

Highlighted initiatives included Tinig ng Barangay, launched in August as a venue for residents to directly raise flood concerns to Mayor Gatchalian; the Task Force Kalinisan and Oplan Balik Linis Ganda, which led large-scale cleanups of drainage systems and waterways; and the continued expansion and rehabilitation of the city's pumping stations, strategically located in flood-prone barangays such as Balangkas, Poblacion, Polo, Isla, Wawang Pulo, Coloong, and Marulas.

The city also presented its investment in major infrastructure projects such as the Panatag Water Catchment along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Dalandanan, the first of its kind in Valenzuela, designed to capture floodwaters and reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. Mayor WES also signed Executive Order No. 2025-190, creating the Valenzuela City Flood Control Advisory Council, which brings together various departments to oversee and sustain all flood mitigation programs.

In addition, Valenzuela strengthened its partnerships with national agencies and the private sector through a joint cleanup and dredging operation of 11 priority waterways with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), NLEX Corporation, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The operation, which began earlier this month, removed thousands of cubic meters of garbage and debris from creeks that had long worsened flooding during the rainy season.

A highlight of the summit was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement on August 22 between the City Government and the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute and NOAH Center, led by UP president Atty. Angelo Jimenez and UPRI Executive Director Dr. Mahar Lagmay. The agreement formalized the formulation of the Urban Drainage Master Plan for Valenzuela City, a comprehensive blueprint that would guide the city's science-based, long-term flood control strategy.

Mayor WES Gatchalian emphasized his commitment to flood mitigation saying "Sisiguraduhin natin na kalidad ang gagamitin sa ating flood control projects, at hindi substandard. Hindi ito negosyo, ito ay para sa ikapapanatag ng bawat Pamilyang Valenzuelano. Long term solution, hindi band-aid solutions. Kasama kayo sa solusyon."

The event gathered city officials, barangay leaders, private sector partners, and members of the academe who all expressed support for the city's continuing flood control and resilience efforts.

Through the Panatag Flood Summit, Valenzuela City underscored that resilience is possible when communities, government, and institutions work together to overcome long-standing challenges and prepare for the future.

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Valenzuela City, DOTR, NLEX, and DPWH Join Forces to Mitigate Flooding Through Major Dredging and Cleanup Operations

The meeting centered on the implementation of large-scale cleanup and dredging operations in key waterways across the city, an effort aimed at preventing flooding especially along major thoroughfares such as the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). These waterways have long been prone to clogging, contributing to the heavy flooding experienced by residents during the rainy season.

To address this long-standing issue, the participating agencies have agreed to take responsibility for specific areas identified as high-risk for flooding:

City Government of Valenzuela will handle the cleanup and dredging of:

Mapulang Lupa Creek Downstream (near Unioil Maysan Road)
Ilang-Ilang Creek, Brgy. Maysan
R. Jacinto Creek, Brgy. Maysan
T. Santiago Creek, Brgy. Lingunan
Veinte Reales Creek

DPWH will take charge of:

Paso de Blas Creek, T. Santiago, Brgy. Canumay West

NLEX will be responsible for the cleanup of:

Paso de Blas Creek, Upstream of NLEX
Mapulang Lupa Creek, Up & Downstream of NLEX
Paso de Blas Creek, Outfall of Pump
Paso de Blas Creek, L. San Diego, Brgy. Canumay West

All parties collectively will work on:

Creek at Brgy. Tugatog-Caingin, Meycauayan

The coordinated effort is expected to cover over 69,000 cubic meters of silt and debris, approximately 1,650 truckloads of trash.

Cleanup operations officially began on August 4, reflecting the commitment of all agencies involved to address flood concerns in a timely and organized manner. The meeting marked a constructive collaboration among the local and national government and the private sector, focused on delivering practical and long-term solutions to flooding in Valenzuela.

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Mayor WES Lays Out New Programs to Counter Flooding in Valenzuela City

Speaking at the first-ever Valenzuela International Progress Summit and Industry Awarding Ceremony this morning, Mayor Wes said these new initiatives were conceptualized in response to widespread flooding caused by days of heavy rainfall from the southwest monsoon and typhoons "Crising", "Dante", and "Emong" last week.

"Rains and floods have brought sufferings to our city and alam ko, naging mabigat ito sa ating mga industries and to every Valenzuelaño," Mayor Wes told business owners and industry players in the Summit. "This is why we have come up with solutions to address our problem in flooding."

Foremost in these new initiatives is the construction of nine additional pumping stations to be strategically located in critical areas in the city, the Valenzuela Mayor bared.

Mayor WES pointed out that the 30 existing pumping stations in the city have proven to be inefficient in easing the flooding brought by the incessant heavy rains last week.

"Out of 33 barangays, first time nangyari ito, 80 percent nalubog sa baha," Mayor Wes lamented.

Also approved for funding by the recently-formed Flood Advisory Committee is the construction of Dalandanan Water Catchment Basin in Barangay Dalandanan, which will be the first ever water catchment facility to be built in Valenzuela, according to Mayor Wes.

The 780-liner meter Water Catchment Basin with a length of two kilometers and a depth of 5.6 meters x 3 meters will significantly mitigate flooding along McArthur Highway by capturing or storing floodwaters during a heavy rainfall, the Valenzuela mayor pointed out.

*"Why built this at McArthur Highway? It is because we need to reopen our major thoroughfares within one to two days after heavy rains to facilitate the movement of goods and people, and of course, mabalik agad sa normal ang operations ng mga business establishments, and for people to go back to work,"* Mayor Wes explained.

In the next couple of years, he added the city government will also focus on dredging, desilting, and cleaning of drainages and waterways in Valenzuela that easily clog up during heavy rains, causing floods.

Furthermore, Mayor Wes said the city government will also partner with NLEX in a proposed flood control project through a public-private partnership agreement, the details of which are still being finalized.

As a long-term solution, Mayor Wes also revealed that the city government will tap the services of third-party experts in crafting a new Urban Planning Drainage Master Plan for Valenzuela City.

He pointed out that the current drainage master plan of Valenzuela which was formulated 10-20 years ago is already outdated due and can no longer cope with the effects of rapid urbanization, increasing population, and climate change.

"Next week, I will be meeting with UP (University of the Philippines) Resilience Institute to discuss this new drainage master plan," Mayor Wes said.

The UP Resilience Institute was one of the agencies that crafted Project NOAH or the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard that has been the country's primary disaster risk reduction and management plan for years.

"As we acknowledge that flooding is a regional and systematic issue that crosses cities' boundaries that requires multi-sectoral and inter-LGU solutions, we as a city remain committed to doing our part by making meaningful local improvements, strengthening our climate resilience, and upgrading our drainage systems and infrastructures," Mayor Wes stressed. #