MMDA, DPWH develop 50-year drainage plan for Metro Manila

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are developing a 50-year drainage master plan for Metro Manila to address outdated infrastructure.

During a hearing at the House committee on public works and highways, MMDA general manager Procopio Lipana highlighted the need to rehabilitate nearly all internal drainage systems built in the 1970s.

MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Romando 'Don' Artes announced that the agency is working on an approved budget of P2.72 billion for flood control, with 56 out of 101 projects completed and 45 ongoing as of July 2024.

The MMDA plans to construct new pumping stations capable of handling increased water volumes during heavy rainfall or storm surges, along with an additional Malabon-Navotas floodgate for better water level control.

Metro Manila was declared under a state of calamity on July 24 due to severe flooding caused by Typhoon Carina and enhanced southwest monsoon, underscoring the urgency of these flood mitigation measures.