Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro linked Congressman Representative Bayani Fernando’s private reclamation project to the massive flooding the city experienced during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.
“‘Yong corporation, BF City, sa kaniya (Fernando) ito. Kinausap naman na namin siya at sinabing kailangan tanggalin ‘yong reclamation. Kung kailangang kami ang magtanggal, gagawin ko ‘yon at ‘yon na ang aking instruction,” Teodoro said.
(The corporation, BF City, belongs to him (Fernando). We talked to him and said that the reclamation should be removed. If we have to get rid of it, I will do that, and that is my instruction.)
He added the city government has been against the reclamation project ever since.
Teodoro said the Marikina city government also did not issue a permit for such a project located on the other side of Provident Village.
He added he also issued the Department of Public Works and Highways a notice of violation as he saw one of its trucks working on the reclamation site.
“Pinahuli ko ‘yong truck na ‘yon eh. It turned out na truck ng DPWH ‘yong nag-da-dump, upon instruction ni congressman,” he said.
Meanwhile, the DPWH denied its involvement in the said project.
Teodoro links Bayani Fernando’s reclamation project to Marikina flooding
Bayani Fernando denied commenting on the matter. Fernando became the mayor of Marikina City in 1992. His term saw the transformation of Marikina from a 4th class municipality to a model Philippine city accorded with 55 citations and distinctions. Bayani Fernando was re-elected mayor twice, serving until 2001.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Teodoro declared a state of calamity over the city due to the flooding and damages brought by Typhoon Ulysses.
He added that many Marikina residents were affected not only by typhoon Ulysses but also by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The declaration of a state of calamity will allow the Marikina local government to tap into its calamity funds to help the affected residents.
The mayor also suspended classes in public and private schools in the city for one month.
Teodoro said he was open to extending the suspension “if necessary.”
The class suspension would give school officials enough time to reproduce and redistribute learning modules for their students.