Thirteen pumping stations will be installed around Metro Manila to help manage excess water and lessen floods, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.
He made the remarks after inspecting the Tripa de Gallina Pumping Station in Pasay City, the largest pumping station in the National Capital Region operated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
“We are installing additional pumping stations and those pumping stations are in and around Manila. I think altogether, we will have 13 additional pumping stations, which we should have in place by the end of this year or the beginning of next year,” the President said.
He noted that the rainfall volume from the enhanced southwest monsoon was extraordinary compared to past years.
This prompted the government to take a second look if the pumping stations still have sufficient capacity to handle large volumes of rainwater.
Marcos added that increasing pumping capacity alone would not solve the flood problem, given that improper garbage disposal continues to affect drainage and pumping systems.
Although the Tripa de Gallina facility’s pumps are functioning well, the accumulation of trash could reduce its efficiency.
“That does not solve our problem with garbage. So, that is why we are here trying to find ways to dispose of the garbage in an environmentally friendly way,” the President said.
According to MMDA chairperson Romando Artes, said four of the 13 additional pumping stations will be newly constructed. The other nine will be upgraded.
Marcos added that the government is exploring ways to make garbage useful.
“Kaya’t naghahanap tayo ng mga iba’t ibang pamamaraan upang magamit ‘yung basura, at iyan ginagawang compost, ginagawang paso na organic, tapos ‘yung iba, kailangan talaga itapon sa landfill,” he said.
“It is all of the other inorganic waste that is being thrown into our system. Yan ang, nandiyan tayo nagkakaproblema,” he added.