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A child swims in flood water in Vitas, Tondo Manila on July 17, 2019. The local government unit has suspended classes in all levels due to Tropical Storm Falcon. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

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Floods  in Tondo, Manila

Andrea Taguines

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon suspended the ongoing upgrades to the Sunog Apog pumping station in Tondo, Manila, on Wednesday after discovering that the flood control project has never worked properly since it was completed in 2020. Dizon inspected the project with Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Special Adviser Benjamin Magalong and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. Construction for the P774-million pumping station began in 2018, during the time of former DPWH chief Mark Villar. “Natapos ng 2020, nagbayad ng 2020. Fully paid ito ah. Pero since 2020 hanggang ngayon, never gumana ito. Sino ba namang hindi magagalit?” said Dizon. Residents complained that the project made flooding worse by obstructing the creek. “Ang problema lang po namin dati high tide, hanggang talampakan lang po ang tubig. Pero nung nalagay po yung pumping (station) e hanggang baywang na po,” said Barangay 123 Chairman Joseph Lipasana. To fix the issue, the Assistant Regional Director of the DPWH National Capital Region told Dizon that they were doing a phased upgrading, which would raise the level of the inlet of the pumping station. But Dizon doubted this would work. “Tinanong ko kanina, sigurado ka ba na &#x27;pag natapos &#x27;tong 100 million na &#x27;to halos, aayos na &#x27;to? Ang sabi nila kailangan pa ng dagdag na P200 million. Napakamot na talaga ako. Sabi ko, wala nang katapusan &#x27;yan. So ang gagawin namin dito, magpapa-third party assessment kami. Para alam ko ano ba talaga ang kailangang gawin para maayos na &#x27;to once and for all. And magkano ang kailangan,” he said. Magalong said apart from the technical audit of the project, the ICI would call in DPWH officials from the previous administrations to explain what happened. “Assuming na maayos ito, kailangan imbestigahan pa rin namin. Kailangan managot yung dapat managot,” he said. Dizon noted that this has a similar pattern to other questionable projects they have seen. “Merong pinondohan, binayaran, either substandard o minsan ghost pa. Tapos mapapansin mo, pinopondohan pa rin nang pinopondohan… Aalamin ngayon ng ICI saan nanaman nanggaling itong pondong ‘to,” he said. Another common trend is the lack of coordination with the local government unit, said Moreno. “Isa ito sa pinakamalaking iskandalo ng Maynila… Never kinoordinate. Tignan ninyo walang kuryente kasi walang building permit. Pag walang building permit hindi bibigyan ng Meralco, hindi napo-power up,” he said.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon suspended the ongoing upgrades to the Sunog Apog pumping station in Tondo, Manila, on Wednesday after discovering that the flood control project has never worked properly since it was completed in 2020.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon suspended the ongoing upgrades to the Sunog Apog pumping station in Tondo, Manila, on Wednesday after discovering that the flood control project has never worked properly since it was completed in 2020.

Dizon halts P94-million upgrade of ‘useless’ Sunog Apog pumping station in Manila pending further studies

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Dizon halts P94-million upgrade of ‘useless’ Sunog Apog pumping station in Manila pending further studies

Andrea Taguines,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 25, 2025 10:29 AM PHT

|

Updated Sep 25, 2025 10:30 AM PHT

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DPWH

pumping station

Vince Dizon

Sunog Apog Pumping Station

Manila

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