FOLLOWING massive flooding on España Boulevard in Manila caused by the southwest monsoon rain on Monday, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced that the agency will start the four cross-drainage projects in September.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Dizon said the drainage systems running through España Boulevard have not been upgraded in nearly half a century — a problem throughout Metro Manila.
“In España, the drainage system is clogged. They haven’t been thoroughly tackled in probably the last 50 years. We need to clear and upgrade them similar to what we started doing along Taft and G. Araneta,” he said.
The project includes four cross-drainage systems, larger inlets with trash traps, a detention basin near Bustillos/Earnshaw and elevation of low-lying road portions. The collected waters will travel to neighboring Manila pumping stations via the cross-drains.
Dizon noted that current systems quickly overflow when hit by extreme rainfall, forcing floodwaters directly onto streets, affecting the major road.
He added that the upgrade is part of a broader push across Metro Manila to rehabilitate long-neglected drainage channels and prevent flooding.
“Most of them were built during the postwar period; that drainage hasn’t been replaced yet... It really needs to be replaced,” Dizon added.
However, the public works secretary said the big project in Metro Manila cannot be finished within President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.
“It has to be a continuing effort for the next couple of administrations,” Dizon said.
He said several of the agency’s projects will be fast-tracked to ensure usability.
The rain that caused the major flooding in España was described as “unusual.” “We really need a whole government approach to provide immediate relief to our people. We saw the unusually heavy rains,” said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Nicolas Torre III, stressing that all government agencies need to work together to avoid another major flooding in the city.
