Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso said the city government may purchase portable modular pumps to help ease flooding in the capital as it continues to explore plans to mitigate the adverse effects of heavy rains on Manileños.

Domagoso made the statement during an inspection with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Don Artes of pre-positioned modular pumps at Roxas Boulevard in preparation for typhoon "Opong" on Friday, Sept. 26.

Artes said the modular pump is one of the innovations the MMDA is deploying to address localized flooding. It has a capacity of one cubic meter per second — enough to fill one and a half Olympic-size swimming pool in just an hour.

He explained that the location is especially critical due to tidal conditions.

“During high tide, the natural flow of water is reversed. The water from the roads is pushed back by the tide from Manila Bay, which slows down at the drainage. This pump helps manage that situation effectively," Artes said.

After the inspection, Domagoso expressed his gratitude to the MMDA and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. for their assistance in mitigating floods in the city.

“Nakikita n’yo na ang national government at local government ay working hand in hand to confront the problems. This kind of innovative, pragmatic, and practical approach may help significantly reduce water levels during typhoons (You can all see that the national government and local government are working hand in hand to confront the problems. This kind of innovative, pragmatic, and practical approach may help significantly reduce water levels during typhoons)," the mayor said.

“On behalf of the people of Manila, we extend our thanks to President Marcos and the MMDA for their support in addressing the city’s flooding problems. With these machines in place, we can respond more quickly," he added.

On Sept. 18, Domagoso formally turned over the city’s Drainage Master Plan to the President -- a significant step toward addressing the city's perennial flooding problem.

The P140-billion master plan outlines a comprehensive, science-based strategy to resolve Manila’s chronic flooding. It integrates engineering solutions, environmental management, and infrastructure coordination to improve flood resilience in the city.

Domagoso explained that the plan offers a two-pronged approach: catchment upgrades and tunnel systems aimed at increasing capacity, speeding up stormwater flow, and reducing flood risks in critical areas.

The catchment strategy includes widening pipes, building new culverts, rehabilitating manholes, and upgrading or adding pumping stations.

According to the city's Public Information Office, Manila currently operates 24 pumping stations and plans to add 15 more.

The plan also includes constructing detention tanks and deep tunnels to direct stormwater to receiving bodies. Large tunnel segments will use boring machines, while denser areas will rely on microtunneling to minimize disruption at street level.

"Projects will be prioritized using the following criteria: how often and how badly an area suffers from flooding; how close it is to critical facilities; whether downstream capacity is ready; expected economic and social benefit; and how fast and feasible the work is," Domagoso said, noting that this approach prevents bottlenecks and ensures that early investments deliver immediate impact.