Metro Manila rainwater impounding facilities to cost P4 billion

MANILA, Philippines — The five proposed rainwater impounding facilities in Metro Manila can store up to 107,600 cubic meters of rainwater and would require more than P4 billion in funding, according to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

The facilities to be administered by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) form part of ongoing measures to enhance flood mitigation and boost the capital region’s capacity to manage heavy rainfall.

“These impounding facilities will give Metro Manila additional capacity to catch and temporarily store large volumes of rainwater instead of allowing them to immediately overwhelm our drainage systems and flood our communities,” Recto said in a statement.

“When completed, these projects will help protect homes, schools, businesses and public infrastructure, especially during heavy rainfall and high tide,” he added.

The projects will be situated at Camp Aguinaldo, Miriam College, Remedios Circle, Rajah Sulayman Park and the ASEAN Garden at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex along Vito Cruz.

“Combined, the five facilities are designed to store up to 107,600 cubic meters of rainwater, providing additional flood water retention capacity in densely populated and flood-prone sections of Metro Manila,” Recto’s office said.

“The five projects have a combined indicative cost of about P4.05 billion, subject to the applicable government review, approval, budgeting and procurement processes,” it added.

The funding for the facilities is proposed under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Assistance Program. MMDA Chairman Romando Artes has submitted documents covering four of the proposed projects to Marcos through Recto’s office and the budget department.

The Camp Aguinaldo facility can cover a 172-hectare catchment area and store up to 50,000 cubic meters of water, while the proposed project at Miriam College will have a 30,000-cubic-meter capacity and serve a 170-hectare catchment area.

The Remedios Circle and Rajah Sulayman Park facilities will have storage capacities of 10,000 cubic meters and 8,000 cubic meters, respectively. Each will serve a 94-hectare catchment area. The flood mitigation project at the ASEAN Garden has a planned capacity of 9,600 cubic meters and can cover a 60-hectare catchment area.

The five projects are among the 39 priority sites for rainwater catchment structures designed to ease the flooding problem in Metro Manila. — Josiah Antonio