Faced with the growing threat of destructive flooding in Metro Manila, President Marcos inspected the P57.7-billion Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project (PMRCIP) Phase IV in Marikina City on Monday, Aug. 11.

The President visited the construction site at the Marikina Bridge Under Loop in Barangay Sto. Niño, where Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials briefed him on measures to protect low-lying communities from the overflow of the Pasig and Marikina Rivers.

The DPWH is undertaking the project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under a bilateral funding agreement between the Philippines and Japan.

Malacañang said the initiative reflects the administration’s “resolute commitment to protecting communities from flood hazards” through long-term, large-scale interventions.

Phase IV of the PMRCIP combines structural works—dikes, revetments, floodgates, and dredged channels—with non-structural measures to enhance disaster readiness and promote sustainable urban development along the riverbanks.

Its coverage includes 7.95 kilometers of river improvements from the Manggahan Floodway to Marikina Bridge, featuring steel sheet pile revetments, reinforced concrete flood walls, and major drainage upgrades.

The project cost rose from P33.1 billion to P57.7 billion in 2024 after the then-National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved design modifications and extended the completion date to March 2031.

As of late 2024, the PMRCIP Phase IV was 44 percent complete, with work focusing on critical flood control structures designed to withstand stronger typhoons and heavier rainfall linked to climate change.

Once finished, the project is expected to significantly cut flood risks in Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City, and nearby Rizal towns such as Cainta and Taytay.

In November last year, the NEDA Board approved an increase in total project cost from P33,097.58 million to P57,696.87 million. It also approved a 63-month extension for the project implementation, as well as changes in the scope of work, such as the design of the Middle Marikina River, modifications to drainage facilities, and additional work.

The Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project aims to mitigate flood damage in Metro Manila caused by channel overflow of the Pasig-Marikina River. It will benefit residents of the cities of Pasig, Marikina, and Quezon City in Metro Manila, and the municipalities of Taytay and Cainta in Rizal.

President Marcos earlier raised concerns about the project's design.

“Does it take into account the new weather? Because ano na ‘yan, danger area na 'yang Marikina talaga (Marikina is a danger area),” he said during the November 2024 NEDA Board meeting.

“The levels of water in the last two big typhoons we had, we came to within half a meter of the limit bago mag (before the) spillover,” he added.

In response, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the project's design helped stop a spillover during the recent typhoons.