The Quezon City government is planning to create a department that will focus on the local government’s programs and efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.

In a social media post by the city government on Tuesday, Mayor Joy Belmonte said the programs include tree planting activities in flood-prone areas.

Belmonte, together with barangay officials and different civic organizations in Old Balara Area 4, Sitio Payong, conducted a tree planting activity as part of the city’s efforts to address the issue.

“Ang Sitio Payong ay isa sa mga bahagi ng lungsod na binaha noong umapaw ang Marikina river dulot ng bagyong Ulysses (Sitio Payong is one of the areas in the city that was deeply flooded when the Marikina river overflowed because of typhoon ‘Ulysses’),” Belmonte said.

She added that barangay officials of Matandang Balara seek to plant about 2,000 trees around the vicinity of the Marikina River that is part of the city.

Typhoon ‘Ulysses’ has affected several areas in Quezon City, dumping heavy rains that submerged several areas and destroyed houses and properties.

About 3,000 families or more than 8,000 individuals were affected in the city as a result of the onslaught of the typhoon.

“Bubuo rin ang lungsod ng drainage masterplan katulong ang Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard) upang matugunan ang pagbaha sa lungsod (the city will also form a drainage masterplan with the help of Project NOAH to find a solution to the problems of flooding in the city),” said Belmonte. (PNA)