MANILA, Philippines — In line with its preparation for the onset of the La Niña phenomenon this rainy season, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has upgraded its two flood pumping stations in Taguig City.
The upgraded pumping stations are both located along the Circumferential Road 6 (C-6) in Barangays Hagonoy and Wawa.
“These facilities are major components of the Metro Manila Flood Control Project, particularly the West of Manggahan Floodway. Hopefully, the upgrades made in these pumping stations will totally spare the city of Taguig from flooding and save lives and properties,” MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos said.
According to the MMDA, with the upgrade, the pumping station at Barangay Hagonoy now has three additional submersible axial flow pumps, each with a capacity to channel three cubic meters of floodwater per second over 528 hectares of drainage area.
In addition, the Barangay Hagonoy pumping station was also equipped with a new motorized trash rake to handle trash coming from the 3,500 meter-long estero or waterway.
Meanwhile, the pumping station at Barangay Wawa now has eight submersible axial flow pumps that can siphon 24 cubic meters of floodwater per second. The pumping station covers a drainage area of 1,423 hectares and an estero that is about 8,700 meters long.
Last March, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) formally handed to the MMDA a rehabilitated flood control and early warning project following 15 months of repair.
JICA handed the P32-billion Effective Flood Control Operating System (EFCOS) project to the MMDA at the Rosario Pumping Station in Barangay Manggahan, Pasig City where it is based.
In October 2014, JICA and MMDA signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the improvement of the EFCOS, involving the restoration of the telemetry system and replacement of its radio system — two of the most vital components of the project.