Repairs on the decades-old floodgate in Navotas City have been completed, but the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has confirmed that the structure will be fully replaced under a long-term flood control program.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the more than 30-year-old facility, originally built through Japanese assistance and recently damaged by a ship collision, remains vital in regulating tidal flow in the area.

While the floodgate is now operational following rehabilitation, Bonoan stressed that its deteriorating condition and outdated components warrant full replacement to ensure continuous flood protection.

The department is coordinating with Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco on a feasibility study for the construction of a new floodgate to better protect communities from rising tides and inland flooding.

Bonoan noted that the existing structure cannot yet be dismantled, as it remains essential to water regulation in Navotas and nearby areas.

He added that the facility is under close monitoring and maintenance while long-term plans are being finalized.

The DPWH chief also raised concern over broader flood control challenges in Metro Manila, particularly in coastal areas increasingly affected by sea-level rise and extreme weather events.

In Malabon City, a nearby low-lying area, a portion of a dike was recently breached during heavy rains, prompting emergency repairs and efforts to seal remaining gaps along the Manila Bay shoreline.

To support the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) flood mitigation efforts, the DPWH is rehabilitating major pumping stations under a World Bank-funded program, which also covers improved waste management and land use planning.

Bonoan said the department is also developing impounding structures in the Sierra Madre to reduce the volume of water flowing into flood-prone areas such as Navotas, with engineering work ongoing for three proposed dams.