PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon inspected the Remedios Pumping Station along Roxas Boulevard on Wednesday as the government stepped up flood control operations amid relentless monsoon rains.
Authorities reported that flooding on Araneta Avenue receded faster than in previous years.
Dizon checked the pumping station to ensure its pumps were operating effectively and speeding up floodwater drainage on Taft, Kalaw, Roxas Boulevard, and nearby areas in Manila.
The inspection came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered government agencies to ensure that all pumping stations nationwide are operational during the southwest monsoon season, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone communities.
At Remedios, two mobile pumps are currently operating, along with another mobile pump deployed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Also, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is repairing the station’s damaged permanent pumps, and officials are targeting service restoration as soon as possible.
The government intensified its response as heavy, continuous rain again tested Metro Manila’s flood-control system.
In Quezon City, severe flooding along G. Araneta Avenue subsided in about six hours following expanded drainage capacity and clearing operations along the San Juan River, according to residents.
That was a significant improvement from 2024, when flooding in the area reportedly took nearly a full day to recede.
Dizon said Marcos had directed the DPWH to work closely with the Quezon City government to align the city’s flood-control master plan with ongoing national projects and further speed up floodwater drainage.
The DPWH also immediately launched clearing operations along G. Araneta Avenue after the flooding triggered by Monday’s nonstop heavy rain.
Nine truckloads of garbage were hauled from the area after the floodwaters subsided, underscoring the continuing problem of clogged waterways and drainage systems during heavy downpours.
These developments highlight the government’s push to combine pumping capacity, drainage improvements, and aggressive clearing operations to reduce flooding in Metro Manila as the “habagat” continues to bring heavy rains.
