MANILA, Philippines – After personally inspecting and ordering the immediate completion on unfinished and abandoned infrastructure projects in the countryside, Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon is now training his sights on several flood-prone major thoroughfares in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief inspected the drainage de-clogging operations along Taft Avenue, specifically in front of De La Salle University (DLSU) in Manila where he witnessed DPWH-NCR personnel manually clearing the drainage systems, hauling away sack after sack of thick mud and debris.
He wants to replace the existing "narrow" culverts—the concrete circular passages for water— with bigger ones like those installed in front of Santa Isabel near Ayala Boulevard.
“We also need to replace and widen the drainage system in front of DLSU to minimize disruptions to the public, especially the students,” said Dizon, who intends to inspect similar flood-prone areas in other Metro Manila cities in the coming days and weeks.
Acting on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize putting up high-capacity drainage systems in flood-prone major roads in NCR, Dizon assured the public of a more extensive drainage improvement project along Taft Avenue with the availability of funds in 2027.
Dizon was with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Thursday when he inspected España Boulevard, one of the city’s major thoroughfares where its drainage system has reportedly been unchanged since the 1950s.
Dizon said several flood mitigation measures in the two Manila areas would be implemented in September and should only last for months “not a year.”
“We will start implementing these flood mitigation measures, including the long-overdue drainage system upgrade along España Boulevard,” said Dizon, who has been cited by many for completing unfinished or abandoned infrastructure projects right on time after inspecting them.
He said the agency planned to build larger drainage inlets equipped with trash traps, a detention basin in the Sampaloc area and at least four cross drains.
Dizon said that the planned basin would help bring water to canals and pumping stations faster.
Meanwhile, Moreno appealed for public understanding, saying the flood mitigation measures that would be implemented by DPWH would surely cause disruption and inconvenience, especially in the area near the University of Santo Tomas.
The Manila chief executive added that portions of España Boulevard would also be elevated to help prevent flooding.
Both Dizon and Moreno assured the public that the DPWH would work around the clock to complete construction without delay which they said might only take several months.
