MMDA acknowledges 54 pumping stations mitigate flood in NCR

A woman wades her way on Imelda avenue circa Sept 2009 in the Philippines. Typhoon Ondoy left hundreds of thousand families displaced and killed hundreds of people. (Timothy Medrano / Shutterstock)

MANILA — With the aid of 54 pumping stations scattered in the metropolis it helps in mitigating the flood in Metro Manila during the heavy downpours last week brought by the southwest monsoon enhance by tropical cyclone, an official of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Sunday.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations acknowledged the importance of pumping stations in mitigating flooding.

“Lubog siguro tayo (in Metropolis) kung wala ang 54 pumping stations. Hindi ito naiimagine ng ibang kababayan natin kung ano ang nagagawa ng pumping stations. (Metro Manila will be engulfed by flood water if there is no pumping stations),” Carlos told the MMDA’s radio program on Sunday adding that at least three pumping stations in Manila were upgraded recently, covering flood-prone areas in the city.

The three rehabilitated stations namely pumping station in Aviles, Valencia pumping station, and Pandacan pumping station are designed to suck out excess water and bring it back to the Pasig River and can now pump water faster, thus, floodwater is expected to subside quickly.

The pumping station in Aviles, which covers an area of 356 hectares from Sampaloc to the University Belt, will pump floodwaters from Estero de Aviles, Estero de Sampaloc, Estero de Uli-Uli and Estero de Calubcub.

The Valencia pumping station will address floods in Sta. Mesa district which covers an area of 264 hectares, while the Pandacan pumping station covers an area of 180 hectares in the Pandacan district.

The Aviles pumping station will also take the floodwater load once the sewerage system in the Legarda area is fully rehabilitated.

The three pumping stations were the first to be finished from the 12 pumping stations within Metro Manila that are undergoing rehabilitation.

During the massive flooding caused by the inclement weather condition last week, the MMDA also deployed its mobile pumps in critical or flood prone areas.

The 54 pumping stations scattered all over especially in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila.

For her part, Emma Quiambao, MMDA flood control head, said the agency is planning to construct additional 14 to 16 pumping stations.

Quiambao noted that various rubbish, which contributed to the flooding in Metro Manila, have been preventing flood waters to subside faster.

To lessen the flood problems in Metro Manila, the MMDA is now planning the cleaning of drainage system particularly manholes.

Earlier, MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino likewise cautioned residents regarding proper disposing of trash as these may clog drainage systems.

He said MMDA continues to declog drainage systems in preparation for the onslaught of typhoons and the rainy season under the agency’s program Estero Blitz.

Under the Estero Blitz program, the MMDA declogs and dredges esteros, creeks and drainages in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila to prevent flooding during the rainy season. It also aims to eradicate mosquito-breeding grounds in these areas.