SECRETARY Vince Dizon will inspect a drainage improvement project along Roxas Blvd. on Monday as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is stepping up its flood control campaign to ease recurring flooding in Manila.
The inspection comes as the DPWH rolls out drainage upgrades, pumping station repairs, inlet widening, and water-retention facilities to improve flow and stormwater discharge in the capital city.
Dizon has mandated the redesign and widening of drainage inlets on major roads like Roxas Boulevard to improve water flow and decrease flooding duration. In June, Dizon announced that pumping stations were slated for completion by July, and he personally inspected the Padre Faura Pumping Station to oversee progress.
The DPWH plans to construct three detention basins in Rizal Park, each spanning 4,000 square meters. With a total capacity equivalent to 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools, these basins will significantly bolster flood control capabilities.
Dizon said the detention basins would help divert water flowing from Taft Avenue through Kalaw, Burgos and Roxas Boulevard, as well as from parts of Remedios and Malate.
One basin is planned near the Luneta pumping station facing Manila Bay, another under the parking area of Harbor View Restaurant, and a third at the corner of Maria Orosa Street and Roxas Boulevard. Construction is targeted to start in early 2027.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy involving improved drainage, modernized pump systems, cleaner waterways, and better waste management. It is a key component of the World Bank-supported Metro Manila Flood Management Project, which highlights drainage and pumping improvements as essential measures to address the city’s ongoing flood challenges.
