SEN. Raffy Tulfo has filed a proposed measure that seeks to designate the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as the primary agency responsible for the rehabilitation and maintenance of pumping stations in the National Capital Region.
In filing Senate Bill No. 1168 last Monday, Tulfo said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) currently holds the mandate and budget for rehabilitation works of pumping stations, while the MMDA is the agency on the ground that ensures the functionality and efficiency of pumping stations aimed at mitigating floods in Metro Manila.
He said such a setup “creates significant operational inefficiencies” since the two agencies have to deal with the pumping stations “when it can be tasked to a single agency.”
He said the MMDA’s technical expertise and direct presence in Metro Manila make it better equipped to implement a proactive and responsive strategy for the rehabilitation and maintenance of pumping stations, which will enhance the overall flood mitigation efforts of the government.
“The MMDA is more familiar with the condition of pumping stations under its jurisdiction; thus, it should have the authority to initiate rehabilitation works when it deems necessary. The current bureaucratic setup could lead to delays, reducing the efficiency and capacity of critical flood control infrastructure during heavy rainfall,” Tulfo said in the bill’s explanatory note.
He said the recent flooding in Metro Manila underscores the urgent need for the proposed measure.
“Flooding is a regularly recurring problem in Metro Manila and it causes inundation of roads, exacerbates traffic congestion, and destroys lives, infrastructure and livelihood of people, especially the poor. It also causes significant non-economic losses, including trauma, disruption of community networks, and interruption of children’s education,” he added.
Tulfo said the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) estimated that the cost of transportation in Metro Manila is around P2.4 billion a day due to wasted gasoline and lost productivity due to traffic congestion.
JICA said this could go as high as P5.4 billion a day by the year 2035 if no interventions are made.
“One of the World Bank’s recommendations to effectively manage major flood events in the future is to modernize Metro Manila’s existing pumping stations, which are under the MMDA’s jurisdiction. This bill, therefore, is a necessary legislative intervention to empower the MMDA to effectively manage, upgrade, and rehabilitate the pumping stations under its jurisdiction, which are vital lines of defense against the devastating effects of flooding,” he said.
“By consolidating authority and resources in the MMDA, it aims to create a more resilient and sustainable flood management system for Metro Manila,” he added.
Tulfo, in a meeting with MMDA Chairman Romando Artes and other agency officials on Monday, said he learned that a number of pumping stations in Metro Manila were non-functional, like the one near the Senate in Pasay City.
He also learned that the Estero de Sunog Apog pumping station in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila has allegedly never been operated since its completion in 2020. This was supposed to address flooding along España Boulevard in Manila and other parts of Quezon City
According to the MMDA, it refused to accept the facility from the DPWH during the turnover since it was not functioning.
Tulfo said the Vitas pumping station in Tondo, Manila was allegedly rehabilitated by the DPWH even if it was not yet due for rehabilitation.
