Authorities are barking up the wrong tree when it blamed the ongoing construction of the Metro Rail Transit 7 as the culprit of the severe flooding near Batasan Station on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

In a statement, the MRT-7 Project Management Office (MRT-7 PMO) said the structures they built in the area are all located outside existing drainage lines and do not obstruct the natural flow of water.

“These were constructed with full consideration of the drainage layout and in compliance with approved engineering plans,” the statement read.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of Transportation and the Quezon City local government pointed to the ongoing construction of the MRT 7 as partly to blame for the Batasan area flooding.

In a Palace press briefing on Tuesday, July 22, MMDA chairman Don Artes pointed to a concrete post that was built and now blocks a big portion of a drainage system along Commonwealth Avenue.

But the MRT 7 PMO said the concerns raised about a manhole constructed along the drainage line have also been reviewed and found to be not interfering with water flow.

“Based on design, simulation, and on-site inspection, the manhole does not interfere with water flow inside the pipe culverts,” the statement read.

It said that while construction during earlier phases of the project did affect a section of the drainage system, this was fully coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The affected segment, it said, was restored upon completion, and on March 3 this year, the DPWH Quezon City 1st District Engineering Office certified that the drainage was “100% completely restored in accordance with standard plans and specifications.”

Following the blame game after the flooding near Batasan, the MRT 7 PMO said it requested any documentation that might indicate obstructions caused by the project: “As of today, no such documents have been provided.”

So who’s to blame now?

In the MRT-7 PMO statement, it said the inspection conducted by its engineers following the most recent flooding found that the drainage outlet was heavily clogged with plastic waste and debris.

“This significantly reduced the system’s capacity to carry rainwater, which likely contributed to surface flooding,” it said.

“Flooding in Metro Manila is a longstanding and complex issue, often rooted in poor waste disposal and inadequate maintenance of drainage systems. MRT-7 PMO believes it is important to approach the matter with a common understanding and a focus on long-term solutions,” it added.