Dizon: P774-M flood control project in Manila is dysfunctional

Sunog Apog pumping station in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila. Photo from the Department of Public Works and Highways

MANILA, Philippines — A government-funded flood control project in Manila worth around P774 million was found to be dysfunctional five years after its completion, Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said on Wednesday.

He made the statement after inspecting the Sunog Apog pumping station in Gagalangin, Tondo, Manila, alongside Baguio City Mayor and Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Special Adviser Benjamin Magalong and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

Dizon said the project was funded in 2017, construction began in 2018, and it was completed and fully paid for in 2020.

“But since 2020 until now, it has never worked. Who wouldn’t be angry about this?” Dizon said in an interview.

He also said the project has worsened the flooding in District 2.

“Instead of helping, it made things worse. Before it was installed, the water level here was low. Once they put it in, and obviously it hasn’t worked since it was completed… the flooding here got worse,” he added.

Moreno echoed this, describing the project as the “greatest scandal” in the district.

READ: Sumbong sa Pangulo website’s flood control locations wrong, manipulated

“You go around and ask the people here. Before this pumping station, the water was manageable because we’re next to the river, and we only experienced flooding when the river overflowed,” Moreno said in Filipino.

“When the pumping station was installed, supposedly for flood control, Sunog Apog became ‘flood uncontrollable,’” he added.

Moreno also said that the project’s construction was never coordinated with the city government, a sentiment echoed by the barangay chairman, who added that he was not consulted.

Dizon further revealed that an upgrade of the pumping station, worth about P94 million, began in May 2025 and is expected to be completed next year.

However, he expressed concern over the continuous upgrades and repairs, calling it a “pattern” he has observed in other projects he has inspected.

“It seems to be becoming a pattern in the projects we’ve seen—funded, paid for, sometimes substandard or even ghost projects, yet they are still funded and paid for,” he said in Filipino.

Third-party assessment

Dizon recommended a third-party assessment of the project and said he would order the suspension of the ongoing construction.

“What we will do here is conduct a third-party assessment. I will make it clear what needs to be done to fix this once and for all and how much it will cost,” he said.

READ: Dizon flags pattern of ‘ghost’ or ‘substandard’ flood control projects

Magalong echoed this, describing the project as “peculiar” and noting that the ICI will conduct a third-party consultation for the first time.

“We cannot handle this. It’s unusual. It’s highly technical. And even if it were fixed, we would still need to investigate,” he added.

Magalong added that they will examine the personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways involved in the project, as well as the capacity of the contractors to handle it.

Dizon noted that the contractor of the 2017 project, MSB Vitug Construction, will also be held liable, emphasizing that the project is dysfunctional despite being fully paid.

The Inquirer sought comments from the project inspectors present during the inspection, but they declined to respond./mcm