Soon, the famous Walled City of Intramuros in Manila may turn into a water world.

This was the warning raised by the Intramuros Administration (IA) amid the adverse effects of climate change and the rapid urbanization in Metro Manila.

Ramil B. Tibayan, head of the Cultural Properties Conservation Division of the Intramuros Administration, said there are now alarming indications that Intramuros is heading to that possibility, one of them is the flooding inside the Dungeons of Fort Santiago.

"Regarding the Fort Santiago Dungeons, we came into conclusion to temporarily close it due to the heavy rains we are experiencing now. This is because of the flooding inside. As you may know, the floor elevation of the dungeons is near the water level of Manila Bay and Pasig River,” said Tibayan in an exclusive interview of the Manila Bulletin.

“Perhaps the ongoing upgrade of pumping stations in Manila Bay could also triggerthe flooding in dungeons all along to the Parian Gardens, one of IA's managed parks,” he said.

The dungeons were originally built to house the weapons of the Spaniards during the colonization. The Philippine's national hero Dr. Jose Rizal was imprisoned in one of its cells.

The prison cells inside the Dungeons can only accommodate up to 100 people but after the World War II, more or less 600 prisoners were found dead inside.

Tibayan said that the flooding inside the Dungeons will continue unless the pumping station projects near the Manila Bay are completed.

The massive flooding experienced in Manila in the past days were attributed to the Dolomite Project which allegedly barred the exit of water into the Manila Bay. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), however, said the flooding was because of the three ongoing projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways near the Manila Bay.

“During heavy rains, there is a tendency for the water level in Pasig and Manila Bay to rise thus causing floods inside the dungeons. The usual high tide is also a factor in the flooding. Since the flood pumps as of today cannot be used, storm water are directed to the Pasig River,” said Tibayan.

Tibayan then expressed fears that excessive flooding may bring peril to the large part of Intramuros and other tourist destinations in Manila Bay.

“Studies shows that due to climate change and urbanization, sea levels rises rapidly and can potentially inundated not only Intramuros but also other tourist destinations near Manila Bay,” Tibayan said.

The Intramuros houses a lot of historic sites and popular establishments that include schools and government offices. (Jun Marcos Tadios)