MANILA, Philippines - Eleven shortlisted projects under the flood control master plan for Metro Manila cost more than P350 billion, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) revealed on Wednesday.
The DPWH bared in a report that the 11 recommended shortlisted structural mitigation measures cost around P351.72 billion subject to validation through a comprehensive feasibility study.
Among the 11 projects, the most expensive is the Pasig-Marikina River Improvement and Dam Construction, which is worth P198.43 billion.
The agency said the projects are prioritized according to:
- The severity of floods based on flood risk, flood area, duration of floods and flood damage,
- Technical viability,
- Social and environmental viability in preliminary level,
- Aerial distribution of putting priority for the flood mitigation measures for the rivers and Laguna Lake.
The projects are under the “Flood Management Master Plan for Metro Manila and Surrounding Areas†that will serve as the roadmap of the government, which is envisioned to be implemented from today until 2035 (23 years), according to the DPWH.
"Each of the above projects is independent, but they form integral measures for mitigating floods in Metro Manila and surrounding areas," the agency said in a report.
The Aquino government has said that the effects of the flood control efforts won't happen overnight.
On Wednesday, DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson revealed the three major causes of flooding in Metro Manila: the huge volume of water coming from the Sierra Madre mountains, blocked drainages in core areas, and the presence of low-lying communities around Manila Bay and Laguna Lake.
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