MANILA -- If there is one thing that España, Manila is notorious for, it's flooding.

The road in Manila, named after the country that conquered the Philippines, is the most prone to flooding in the metro.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has confirmed that this has been a recurring problem.

The MMDA said it is actively working to clear the waterways of solid waste, some of which are as large as refrigerators, in an effort to alleviate the situation.

“Yung indiscriminate na pagtatapon ng basura may instances na kapag nakikita namin na tumataas ang tubig makikita namin na may basura yung mga canals… Kami ay walang sawang manawagan na wag po sana itapon ang ating mga basura sa mga kanal at kung saan-saan at marami sa kanila mauuwi sa mga kanal sa drianage system natin na nagpapabara ng daloy ng tubig," MMDA Chairman Don Artes said.

The drainage systems in the area are also poorly designed, as they were constructed decades ago and are struggling to cope with the rising sea level.

To address this issue, the MMDA, local government units, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are working on a comprehensive 50-year drainage masterplan.

“Para lahat po ng drainage sa kalakhang Metro Manila para maging integrated at tuloy-tuloy ang drainage. Ngayon kasi iba iba. Dito malaki, sa kabilang bayan naman maliit. Itong pag-aaral na gagawin ay 50 years from now dapat relevant pa rin at gagana pa rin.” Artes said.

SUNOG APOG PUMPING STATION

However, the solution that could have saved España from flooding, the Estero de Sunog Apog Pumping Station, stands impotent among the houses in Tondo Manila.

According to the DPWH website, the Estero de Sunog Apog Pumping Station began construction in January 2018 and was inaugurated in October 2020.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) included the P700-million pumping station in its study on drainage improvement for Metro Manila in 2005.

The pumping station was designed to complement the Blumentritt Interceptor Catchment Area with four floodgates, four electromechanical pumps with a capacity of 3.5 cubic meters each, and two generators. It had the capability to hold 36,644.74 cubic meters of floodwater, equivalent to 17 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

However, the pumping station has been inoperable for years.

The MMDA confirmed that the project has not been turned over to them because there are necessary corrections that the DPWH needs to address within the facility.

“It is just that cino-commission na for testing may nakita kaming for correction na dapat i-correct muna ng contractor bago namin i-accept and i-operate. Kailangan pang i-ayos bago i-operate namin. Kasi ganun set up namin ng DPWH - sila magpapagawa ng pumping stations ‘pag nagawa itturn over samin for operations," Artes said.

Efforts to reach the DPWH arm responsible for the Sunog Apog pumping station for comment have been unsuccessful.

However, the DPWH-Flood Control Management Cluster has stated that they will investigate the issue. They also acknowledge the problem of flooding in Metro Manila.

“The problem with Metro Manila now the designed flood system is old…. We (need) rehab of the old pumping stations because these were constructed around thirty years ago. Nasa climate change na tayo kaya kailangan i-upgrade na yung pumping stations all over Manila.” Ramon Arriola III, Project Director of DPWH UPMO, said.

Unfortunately, this long-term goal also means that the current situation in España may persist for years to come.

For now, the MMDA must focus on clearing the waterways, the public must learn proper solid waste management, and the DPWH must actively build and upgrade water pumping stations.