President Bongbong Marcos announced plans to install 13 additional pumping stations in and around Metro Manila to boost the capital’s capacity to drain floodwaters amid increasingly intense rainfall.
Marcos unveiled the plan while inspecting the Tripa de Gallina Pumping Station in Pasay City, one of Metro Manila’s major flood-control facilities. He said most of the new stations are targeted for completion by the end of the year or early 2027.
“We are installing additional pumping stations and those pumping stations are in and around Manila,” Marcos said.
“I think altogether we will have 13 additional pumping stations.”
The expansion comes as the government reassesses whether Metro Manila’s existing flood-control system can keep pace with heavy downpours that dump large volumes of water across the capital in short periods, particularly after recent rains inundated several parts of the region.
Low-lying communities rely heavily on pumping stations to remove floodwaters when drainage systems can no longer handle the runoff. The additional facilities are expected to boost water discharge capacity and reduce the duration of flooding in vulnerable areas.
Marcos said increased pumping capacity alone would not be enough if garbage continues to clog waterways and drainage systems.
“Ang nakikita natin problema, number one, ay yung basura ulit,” he said.
The President said solid waste can obstruct water flow and hamper the efficiency of pumping facilities, prompting the administration to pair the expansion with continued waterway clearing and maintenance.
Beyond inspecting flood-control and drainage projects, Marcos has also vowed to hold those involved in alleged flood-control corruption accountable, including his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, whom he said during his latest SONA he would not protect.
