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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider From flood control to uncontrolled: Mayor Isko laments useless pumping station in Tondo

From flood control to uncontrolled: Mayor Isko laments useless pumping station in Tondo

Published Sep 25, 2025 01:05 pm
Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso
Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso

Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso could not hide his dismay over the Sunog Apog Pumping Station in Tondo, Manila, that is notorious for continuously breaking down and, at times, worsening the flooding situation in the city despite millions, if not billions, worth of repairs and updates done on it.

Domagoso, together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Special Adviser and Investigator Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, inspected the facility on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 24.

According to the mayor, the P774 million project that started in 2017 and was completed in 2020 was designed as part of the DPWH's flood control plan to ease flooding in low-lying areas of Manila, including Sampaloc, España, Rizal Avenue, and Maria Clara. 

But instead of mitigating the floods in the Capital City, the pumping station was said to further aggravate the flooding situation with its constant breakdowns during the rainy season.

Domagoso stressed that when the pumping station was not yet built, the floodwater in the Sunog Apog area was still manageable, and flooding was not experienced until the river's water level rose to spilling levels.

The pumping station was also declared incomplete by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) three times due to its defective mechanisms, causing it to be useless.

Third-party assessment

During the inspection, the mayor declared the city government's full cooperation in the investigations being made on the flood control projects to ensure that the people will benefit from them.

He also expressed his support for Dizon's proposal to conduct a third-party assessment of the pumping station to determine how much is needed for its completion and repair.

"Hindi pwede sa atin ang mga palpak na proyektong walang kapakinabangan para sa ating mga mamamayan. Once and for all, magkonsulta kayo sa third party, patakbuhin ninyo ito, at kung maaari, huwag na kayong mag-Phase 1, Phase 2. Ang dami nang phase, ang kakapal na ng mukha ng mga kumite rito. Let's address the problem, because the people of Sunog Apog are paying the price (We can't have sloppy projects that are of no use to our people. Once and for all, let's consult a third party, make it happen, and if possible, don't finish the project by phases. Let's address the problem immediately because the people of Sunog Apog are paying the price)," Domagoso said.

"We will do our best to give the people of Sunog Apog the peace of mind that this pumping station will be operational once again. Pumanatag po kayo, dahil ang inyong lokal na pamahalaan at mga pambansang ahensya ay nagtutulungan upang kayo ay mapagsilbihan nang maayos (We will do our best to give the people of Sunog Apog the peace of mind that this pumping station will be operational once again. Rest assured, because your local government and national agencies are working together to serve you well)," he noted.

Related Tags

Isko moreno domagoso vince dizon benjamin magalong sunog apog pumping station tondo manila manila city flooding dpwh mmda metro news
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