Marikina City Flood Control Efforts Debunked as False Claims of 'Recycled Floodwater' Go Viral

MANILA, Philippines — A viral post claiming that “floodwater” was being scooped up and returned to the same area, or “recycled,” as part of flood control efforts in Marikina City is false. In an August 30 post, Facebook user MP MIKO POGAY questioned why the loader was returning the “floodwater” it had collected to the area, calling what he claimed was a “flood control” effort a “water transfer challenge.” The post’s caption said, in part: From baha, back to baha. Zero waste! RECYCLE YARN?! ?????????? Expelled lawmaker Kiko Barzaga also posted the video on his page, sarcastically praising Marikina’s flood control. “Lipat na ako diyan sa 2028,” he joked. The Facebook posts incorrectly characterized the loader returning water to what appears to be a flooded area as a flood control effort amid continuous rains and heavy flooding from recent storms and the southwest monsoon or habagat. Both posts included less than 15 seconds of the three-minute video, leaving out the portion that provides context on what the payloader was being used for. In the full video posted by Facebook page Marikina River Water Level, the person recording said the payloader was being used to clean and remove mud. “Habang inaayos pa ang motor, ito muna ang ginagamit para panglinis at matanggal ang putik,” the person said. Earlier in the video, the person said the motor was being used for flushing operations. The Marikina River reached the second alarm at 9 a.m. on August 30, when the video was taken, according to the caption of the Marikina River Water Level post and an update from the Marikina Public Information Office (PIO). The city’s local government unit deployed skid loaders, heavy equipment, and clearing personnel to remove garbage, mud, and debris left behind by the floods in Malanday, Tumana, and Nangka, according to the Marikina PIO on August 30. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Nicolas Torre III also explained that the payloader was cleaning its bucket. "At para two-in-one ang trabaho, ’yung tubig na ginagamit na panlinis ng bucket, ibinubuhos din sa gilid para tangayin ang burak at mga latak na naiwan pagkatapos ng baha," Torre said on August 31 in a Facebook post, tagging Barzaga and vlogger Boss Dada. Torre also addressed Barzaga directly, saying that not all water seen in the area was floodwater: “Meow, hindi lahat ng nakikita mong tubig ay baha.” At least 8.8 million people have been affected by Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng and the habagat, with 33 reported deaths, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on August 31. Around 2.5 million families across 10 regions had been affected, with about 164,500 people staying in 1,365 evacuation centers nationwide, according to the NDRRMC. MP MIKO POGAY's post has garnered at least 80,000 reactions, 8,500 comments, and 5,000 shares. Meanwhile, Barzaga's reel has gained more than 126,000 reactions, 100 comments, and 5,300 shares.