CITY OF MEYCAUAYAN—At least eleven believed heavily clogged waterways, mostly creeks in this city and in adjacent Valenzuela City, Metro Manila which had been causing severe flooding along the North Luzn Exprsway (NLEX) during recent strong typhoons Crising, Edgar and Emong and the southwest monsoon are now being dredged by the government and the NLEX Corporation. 

The dredging, clean-up and clearing of Paso de Blas Creek Upstream of NLEX, Mapulang Lupa Creek Up and Downstream of NLEX, Paso de Blas Creek Outfall of Pump, Paso de Blas Creek, L San Diego, Canumay West, Mapulang Lupa Creek Downstream (near Unioil Maysan Road), Paseo de Blas Cree, T Santiago, Canumay West, Ilangilang Creek Barangay Maysan, R Jacinto Creek Barangay Maysan, T Santiago Creek Lingunan, Viente Reales Creek, Creek at Barangay Tugatog-Caingin, Meycauayan started on August 4.

NLEX has been deploying 120 personnel daily, with equipment needed for the clean-up—amphibious backhoe, backhoe on barge, boom trucks, dump trucks, and a generator set to help accelerate the clearing works.

In a press release on Sunday, NLEX said the clearing up is being hastened to improve water flow ahead of inclement weather conditions.

Secretary Vince Dizon of the Deprtment of Transportation (DOTr) initiated the clean-up drive. He called an inter-agency coordination meeting on Aug. 2 together with NLEX, Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the local government units (LGUs) of Valenzuela and Meycauayan, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to continue to address flood risks in specific areas of the expressway and the two LGUs.

NLEX said that the project is now in full swing to address flooding in the areas. Portions of NLEX in the said areas became unpassable during recent typhoon Crising and southwest monsoon rains. 

Nearly half a kilometer along northbound and southbound lanes of NLEX in Valenzuela City had been under 1 meter level of lood for moe than 5 ours from 6:40 pm to 12:20 am on July 21 due to the strong rains. 

NLEX said they are regularly conducting inspections on the clearing to check the progress of the works. 

During typhoon Carina last year, both the nortbound and the southbound lanes of Valenzuela and Meycauayan were sent also became not passable for several hours because of the flooding in the area. Marilao section was also not passable on its northbound area. 

Dizon, joined by NLEX OIC and Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Luis Reñon, MPTC Chief Regulatory Officer Arrey Perez, Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Jay Art Tugade, and Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian had inspected one of the identified critical areas in Valenzuela prior to the start of the clean-up operations. 

“This is an all out effort of all the stakeholders—NLEX, City of Valenzuela, DOTr, DPWH. This an altogether work, this must be done in one simuktaneous effort. We do not know when the strong rains will pour again. So we have to take advantage of the improved weather for this project. We need to address the flooding so that  it woud not happen again,” Dizon said. 

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NLEX OIC and MPTC CFO, thanked the DOTr for leading the initiative and for considering the expressway’s ideas for immediate flooding solutions.

Aside from the clearing operations, NLEX Corporation` ramped up its multi-layered flood control defense to enhance protection against flooding along its expressway network. The tollway company remains committed in pursuing long-term solutions, working closely with government partners, that will benefit both its motorists and the surrounding communities.

NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary MPTC, the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). 

NLEX Corporation, together with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the local government units (LGUs) of Valenzuela and Meycauayan, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), continue to collaborate to address flood risks in specific areas of the expressway and the two LGUs.

Following an inter-agency coordination meeting initiated by DOTr Secretary Vince B. Dizon last August 2, NLEX Corporation presented 11 areas where waterway obstructions were found to have contributed to the flooding in Valenzuela, Meycauayan, and certain portions of the NLEX.

The joint cleanup and clearing operation of identified blocked waterways commenced last August 4 and is now in full swing. This collaborative effort aims to mitigate flooding by focusing on the blocked waterways that contributed to the recent flooding incidents.

Regular inspections are being conducted to check the status of the clearing operations and identify improvement areas to speed up the operation.

“All-out effort ito ng lahat ng stakeholders — NLEX, City of Valenzuela, DOTr, DPWH — lahat sama-sama kasi hindi pwedeng hindi sabay-sabay. Hindi natin alam kung kailan ulit uulan nang malakas. So we have to take advantage na medyo maganda-ganda ang weather para ma-clear ito dahil mahirap na kung maulit pa ang pagbaha,” Dizon said.

In support of the initiative, NLEX has deployed around 120 personnel daily, along with equipment such as an amphibious backhoe, backhoe on barge, boom trucks, dump trucks, and a genset, across all assigned locations to accelerate progress and improve water flow ahead of inclement weather conditions.

NLEX OIC and MPTC CFO, thanked the DOTr for leading the initiative and for considering the expressway’s ideas for immediate flooding solutions.

“Nagpapasalamat kami kay Sec. Dizon for initiating this project. Ang pagtutulungang ito ay sumasalamin sa pinagsama-samang hangarin ng NLEX Corporation at mga katuwang na ahensya ng pamahalaan na magpatupad ng mga hakbang laban sa pagbaha at mapabuti ang safety at travel experience ng mga motorista,” he said.

Aside from the clearing operations, NLEX Corporation` ramped up its multi-layered flood control defense to enhance protection against flooding along its expressway network. The tollway company remains committed in pursuing long-term solutions, working closely with government partners, that will benefit both its motorists and the surrounding communities.

NLEX Corporation is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), the toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC). 

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Modern facility to serve over 63K members and pensioners in Mindanao

Davao City – The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) broke ground today for its new Davao Branch Office along McArthur Highway, Matina, marking a major step in modernizing services for over 63,000 members and pensioners in the region.

GSIS Chairman Rodolfo del Rosario led the ceremony along with GSIS Officer in Charge (OIC) Juliet Bautista and other executives.

“This project represents our promise to bring government service closer to the people. We are building not just a new office but a stronger connection with our members in Mindanao,” said Chairman del Rosario.

OIC Bautista also underscored the significance of the project. “This groundbreaking reflects our commitment to strengthen our presence across the country and deliver quality service in facilities that meet the needs of our members,” she said.

The new two-story building will rise on the same site where the old office stood before it was closed in 2019 due to structural concerns from frequent earthquakes. The facility is designed to be resilient, accessible, and member-focused, especially for those in Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and nearby provinces.

Established in 1957, the Davao branch is among the oldest in the country. From a 10-person team serving 8,000 members, it now covers over 47,000 active members and 16,000 pensioners.

The event also featured a virtual tour titled “Past Echoes, Future Visions” and a townhall meeting with employees from GSIS Davao, Kidapawan, and Tagum branches.

“This is about providing Ginhawa for all, with our members at the heart of everything,” said Atty. Isagani del Rosario, Acting SVP for the VisMin Operations Group.

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BALER, Aurora—The country’s local and international internet connectivity is expected to increase its speed further with an additional submarine cable that will connect the country to the rest of the world and will serve as another backbone network infrastructure for the country.

InfiniVAN Inc., a leading Japanese-Filipino telecommunications provider ground breaks on Wednesday, its very own Baler Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Suklayin-Buhangin Road in this town. The worth $15 million station targeted to be completed in August 2026 will house and operate InfinVAN’s own submarine cable system.

Alberto Espedido, chief, technology officer of InfiniVAN said Baler’s CLS, is a state-of-the-art facility which will be the key gateway of the connectivity of the nation to the global regional highway.

Baler CLS will be an addition to the existing cable landing station corridors in the country—La union, Davao and Bicol and it will be an open-access to telecommunication providers which provide internet service to service providers, he said.

According to Aejandro Aquino, Advisor, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development of InfiniVAN, because of the ongoing geopolitical developments west of the Philippnes, their company expects that all new submarine cable projects that wil be based in the Pacific, Japan and in the US will emanate in the Baler CLS. “That’s why we decided to station our cable in this area to be able to accommodate three to four submarine cable systems, one in 2028 and one will be as early as next year,”  he said in a press conference.

Koji Miyashita, Chairman of InfiniVAN said that true to the name of their company, which is derived from the word “infinity and the acronym VAN for Value Added Network, the Baler fiber hub will bring bright future to the  Philippines as the country rises to become the leader in the digital age.

He said the facility is more than infrastructure as it embodies key strengths that will shape Philippine digital landscape being an open gateway for global connectivity providing an open access landing station for the rest of the world.

“Welcoming more carriers and creating such environment, it offers neutral entry point for international submarine cables, healthy competition, expand choices and establish Philippines as the most dynamic gateway to Asia Pacific placing us in the world digital page,’ he said.  

“The strategic location of Baler in Luzon in the eastern shores offers a secured and reliable alternative by passing sensitive routes to ensure more resilient and efficient connection to Japan, the US and Pacific partners. The Baler cable station will also strengthen the national backbone of the country creating disaster resilient network that brings closer and beyond  Metro Manila, reaching Visayas and Mindanao and every corner of the country as a vibrant platform for the next generation,” Miyashita added.

The InfiniVAN head also assures local officials of their company’s commitment to construct the station with utmost care for Baler’s wonderful nature, environment and beauty to be preserved.

Imelda Walcien, Director of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Regulation Branch welcomes the InfiniVAN CLS as the first in the eastern part of the country as most of the cable network are located in the western area.

“We have one in Cagayan and Davao which are facing west. Baler is the first one in the eastern side,” she said.

Walcien told NEWSCORE Bulacan that Baler CLS differs from the other existing cable landing stations like the PLDT, Globe and others because it is the only first to operate with an open access to all other telecommunication companies which wanted to connect for a much speed up global and local internet connectivity.