Complaints mounted on the recently completed P38-million España Boulevard road project in Sampaloc, Manila after its elevation by five meters flooded a university campus during a heavy downpour.

In the social networking site Facebook, UST students, faculty members, and alumni of the Faculty of Arts and Letters gave angry comments and feedbacks after the university was virtually turned into a catch basin of floodwaters as a result of the recent rehabilitation of España Boulevard.

They poured their outrage over the DPWH project that has pushed the floodwaters from Morayta to Lacson Streets to submerge the school premises.

“Grabe raw ang baha days ago sa UST. May baha na agad sa loob ng campus kahit sandali lang ang ulan (The flood has even gone worse at UST. There was flood inside the campus after a short downpour.) What more if there's a similar-to-Ondoy typhoon? Is it because of the fact that España Boulevard was recently elevated?” one of the comments read.

“Due to the recent elevation of España, the experience is no longer exclusive to España, P. Noval, Lacson, Dapitan (streets). It extends to the insides of the university's buildings,” it added.

The DPWH has spent P38 million for the upgrading and concreting of the road that measures 550 linear meters from Morayta to Lacson Street. Part of the project was the improvement of the drainage system, curb, and gutters.

The DPWH explained that the drainage system is yet to be completed, which probably explained the flooding in the area.

The area, which used to be a swamp, is easily flooded during heavy downpour, stranding hundreds of commuters and students.