AS part of President Duterte’s programs geared toward upgrading Metropolitan Manila’s flood-control system, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will build and rehabilitate a total of 58 pumping stations.
MMDA Chairman Emerson S. Carlos revealed the plan after Mr. Duterte mentioned in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) the implementation of structural mitigation measures to address the perennial flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring areas.
With this, the MMDA is eyeing to set up 20 additional pumping stations and 38 pumping stations for rehabilitation once the P22-billion loan from the World Bank is approved to help mitigate flooding in the metropolis during heavy rains.
Carlos said there are ongoing talks between the government and the World Bank on the modernization of drainage areas, covering the rehabilitation of existing stations with modern, efficient and high-capacity pumps and construction of new pumping stations in flood prone areas in the metropolis.
“We will build more pumping stations. The only reason we don’t have flooding [these days is] because of [these] pumping stations. It keeps us afloat,” Carlos said of the planned Metro Manila Flood Management Project-Phase 1, which still has to go through the approval of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Local government units where pumping stations would be constructed are 13 in Quezon City, one in Mandaluyong, three in Muntinlupa, one in Taguig and two in Valenzuela.
Pumping stations set for rehabilitation include 18 in Manila City; 12 in Malabon; two in Quezon City; one in Makati and Pasay; and four in Taguig City.
For his part, Michael Gison, MMDA planning officer, said once the P22-billion budget will be approved, the initial construction of five pumping stations will start early next year.
“Talks are ongoing with [the] World Bank, the Department of Public Works and Highways…,” Gison told reporters in an interview, adding that the World Bank will finance 60 percent of the project, while the remaining 40 percent of the budget will come from the national government.
Proposed in 2012, the project seeks to specifically address structural measures to improve urban drainage in the metropolis. It will be achieved through an integrated set of interventions to modernize existing pumping stations to accommodate urban expansion; increase short-term water-retention capacity in the drainage areas; reduce the volume of the indiscriminately dumped solid waste into waterways; and support community-driven resettlement of squatters encroaching in easements for drains and waterways linked to the project pumping stations to safer in-city locations.
The project is divided into components, namely, the Modernization of Drainage Areas, P15.5 billion; Minimizing Solid Waste in Waterways, P3.3 billion; Participatory Housing Resettlement and Project Management, Support and Coordination, P1.998 billion.
To date, the MMDA has 54 water pumping stations, and these pumping stations were designed to pump between 80 millimeters and 90 mm of water per hour.
The rehabilitation of these facilities, Carlos said, is expected to boost the MMDA’s flood-control program. These facilities are in Libertad, Quiapo, Tripa de Galina, Pandacan, Valencia, Binondo, Aviles, Paco, Makati, Santa Clara, Balete, Arroceros stations and two rehabilitated floodwater pumping stations on Circumferential Road 6 (C-6) in Barangay Wawa and Hagonoy in Taguig City.
“As for the preparations, we have the Estero Blitz, upgrading of pumping stations and the Effective Flood Control Operating System,” he added, but warned that the effects of La Niña could worsen flooding.
(Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco with PNA)