30 NCR sites identified as rain basins vs floods
The government has picked 30 sites where large rain catchment structures can be built to ease the perennial flooding problem in the National Capital Region (NCR), according to President Marcos.
The sites, which were identified by Dutch engineering consultancy firm Haskoning, include Plaza Rajah Sulayman and Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila, as well as Camp Aguinaldo and Miriam College, both in Quezon City.
Haskoning has completed a preliminary study and is now working on detailed engineering plans, which are expected to be completed by the end of August, Mr. Marcos said. He wants some of the projects to be operational before the rainy season next year.
The potential sites include large underground detention areas and smaller open spaces that can temporarily hold rainwater during heavy downpours.
According to the President, the rain catchment structures will be placed underground, beneath existing facilities, including open fields and even buildings. The areas will be restored after construction.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) General Manager Don Artes said the total cost of building the structures has not yet been determined, adding that the detailed engineering design and feasibility study will be used to come up with an estimate.
China-funded
Funding, on the other hand will come from the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with a counterpart fund from the Philippine government. There is no information yet on whether the AIIB funding will be a loan or a grant.
According to Artes, the government plans to excavate about half a hectare of the golf course in Camp Aguinaldo and build a 10-meter-deep rain catchment.
The facility would help prevent flooding in the Edsa-White Plains area, one of the flood-prone parts of the busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila.
Miriam College along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City has agreed in principle to host one of the projects.
The government also plans to build a detention pond under the baseball field at Rizal Memorial Stadium.
According to Artes, the MMDA is likewise looking at smaller sites, including open fields and parks that can be lowered or deepened to temporarily hold rainwater.
For instance, the Sunken Garden on the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City, could be deepened to allow it to hold water during heavy rains. The water would then be gradually released into waterways after the rain stops.
UST also considered
Artes said the government is still seeking permission to use privately owned properties. The University of Santo Tomas (UST), which is located along the flood-prone España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila, has yet to approve the proposal.
Mr. Marcos, meanwhile, directed the MMDA to study how the collected water from these proposed rain catchment structures could be reused.
“The President noted it would be a waste to collect thousands of liters of rainwater only to throw it away afterward,” Artes said.
