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Friday, March 29, 2024

DPWH seeks Laguna Lake-Manila Bay water tunnel

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The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will construct a multibillion-peso 10.5-kilometer long underground flood control project connecting Laguna Lake to the Manila Bay, to mitigate massive flooding in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) urged the DPWH deploy its mobile pumps to help ease flooding in the metropolis.

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said discussions were already underway with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Department of Finance (DOF), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)  for the planned Parañaque Spillway Project in a bid to protect low-lying communities in Metro Manila from flooding particularly during heavy downpour.

Bonoan said the floods that affect the Laguna lakeshore area during the rainy season due to the effects of climate change should not be ignored because it may eventually have an effect on nearby cities.

According to DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain, the Parañaque Spillway Project needs an immediate intervention to address extreme flooding by draining excess water from the Laguna Lake into Manila Bay.

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“Using underground tunnel technology, this flood control option for the Laguna de Bay basin is based on the comprehensive flood management plan supported by surveys carried out by JICA experts,” he said.

Bonoan said that to control the water level of Laguna Lake, DPWH is proposing the construction of an underground drainage channel to catch overflowing flood water from Laguna Lake before it is pump out to Manila Bay.

The Parañaque Spillway involves the construction of open channel and tunnel with the inlet at the land side in Buli (south side of Sucat) and with the outlet at the Zapote River mouth with a maximum outflow discharge of 240 cubic meter per second.

“A deep tunnel technology with an inner diameter of 13 meters having a tunnel depth that is ranging from 50 to 77 meters from the existing ground with a total tunnel length of 10.50 km,” he added.

The underground structure will connect Laguna Lake to Manila Bay, and will avoid spilling of lake water into low-lying communities. The project will traverse 50 meters underground through the cities of Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Bacoor City.

With this the DPWH will be able to mitigate the inundation in the Laguna de Bay Lake shore area by draining water lake directly into Manila Bay thus stabilize the economic and social activities in the region and earlier post disaster recovery greatly benefiting the low-lying municipalities of Laguna and Metro Manila.

“The Paranaque Spillway Construction Project as one of the priority projects in the Philippine investment plan. The project is proposed to be funded under JICA loan to be applied by the Government of the Philippines,” Bonoan added.

The DPWH confirmed news report saying the Padre Faura drainage, the Remedios drainage, and Estero de San Antonio were closed to make way for renovations that would benefit the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach.

The closure of the three drainage systems has been blamed for the recent floods in Manila, the report said.

“Makipag-usap kami sa DPWH na i-mobilize na nila yung mga mobile pumps. Meron naman silang mga mobile pumps eh,” MMDA acting general manager Baltazar Melgar said.

For example, maybe we can mobilize the pumps to Malate or Baywalk so we can ease the flooding there,” Melgar said.
Melgar said there are 71 pumping stations in Metro Manila, which will go up to 75 once 4 more projects are completed this year.

The official called on the public to bear with government officials as they work to finish the construction of some pumping stations.

“Our projects will really cause an inconvenience, so we can will really experience flooding. But I think the roads will remain passable to all types of vehicles. So, let us please give DPWH a chance, this will be done by September. Please bear with us,” Melgar added.

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