Residents and motorists navigate the flooded Andrews Avenue corner Domestic Road in Pasay City on July 24, 2024. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News 

[Part I]: Communities struggle to stay afloat as delays impede flood management in Metro Manila
[Part II]: The price of underestimating climate change

MANILA — Seven years after the Metro Manila Flood Management Project commenced, project implementers Department of Public Works and Highways and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have disbursed less than 3 out of every 10 dollars borrowed for the project.

The low disbursement rate is due to significant delays since the project implementation began.

Of the remaining 34 pumping stations to be rehabilitated and modernized, only 4 out of every 10 have been completed so far.

Two of the original 36 pumping stations have also been delisted: One was completed before the project started and the other was decommissioned in 2016.

As of 2024, none of the listed four new pumping stations have been constructed. Revised project documents show that these new pumping stations are now projected to operational by 2026 and are much fewer than the original target of 20 new stations in Metro Manila.

The World Bank noted that delays were due to “design shortcomings, including a lack of specificity in site selection for drainage areas and uncertainties regarding the number and locations of new pumping stations planned for construction.”

The project, approved in September 2017, was initially scheduled for completion in November 2024 but has experienced delays due to various factors.

In 2022, the World Bank gave the project an Overall Implementation Progress rating of “Moderately Unsatisfactory (MU).”

This rating prompted the lenders to call for a Mid-Term Review, according to the World Bank Restructuring Document published in September 2024. 

Following reviews and discussions, the lender agreed to extend the project implementation by two more years, until November 2026.

The World Bank also noted a significant increase in disbursement and commitment, eventually upgrading the performance rating to Moderately Satisfactory in 2023.

The World Bank also highlighted challenges encountered by representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), who took on the responsibility of preparing the final designs and bidding documents. Capacity constraints within the agency slowed down the document preparation process.

This was confirmed by Engineer Lydia Aguilar of the Unified Project Management Office — Flood Control and Management Cluster, who noted that an initial lack of familiarity with the World Bank’s Design, Supply, and Installation procedures further delayed the preparation of required documents and the procurement of civil work packages that meet World Bank standards.

Aside from the challenges with the processes, Aguilar also explained that when the project started in 2017, almost a year went into preparation of documents. The lengthy process was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it more difficult to do site visits, hold meetings, slowing down the bidding and selection process for project contractors.

“Tapos, okay na nga sana kami, makaka-bounce back kami. Pero, hindi mo kami bibigyan ng budget. Kaya nga, dapat inaalam ng taong bayan yung challenges. Sana huwag muna kayong mag-ano (judge), alamin muna nila ang buong kwento,“ she said.

(We were about to bounce back from the pandemic, but we weren't given funding. People should really learn about the challenges. Don't be too quick to judge, find out the whole story first)

Delay in project implementation exacerbates problem in communities susceptible to flooding 

For Barangay 180, Pasay City head Patrick San Miguel the timely completion of the flood management project could have prevented a repeat of Ondoy-like flooding in the community, the most destructive in the past two decades.

However, the community again experienced massive flooding with flood water reaching more than seven feet high.  

“Malaking impact siya, actually kasi naumpisahan 'yun eh, hindi ninyo tinapos kaagad. Kasi, kumbaga, yung project proposal na ginawa ninyo na kung saan, para makatulong at maibsan yung pabilis magbaha hindi natuloy. Hindi niyo na-aksiyunan kaagad kasi inabot na kayo ng  delubyo, bagyo, na which is dapat, kung yun ang inisip ninyo, yung proposal na 'yun, na kung saan makakatulong sa community, sana, bago dumating 'yan, na prevent sana ‘yun.”

(It would have had a big impact, actually. They already started but they didn't finish it quickly enough. Because it wasn't finished, we have to deal with the flooding the project was supposed to prevent) 

Delays cause additional financial burden

The Commission on Audit in its 2022 report flagged the slow implementation of the project, stating that 33 out of 47 projects and programs with a total budget of P 825 million (14.38 million USD using 2022 exchange rates) were not yet fully implemented as of December 31, 2022.

The Commission on Audit (COA) noted that, due to this delay, the Philippine government incurred nearly half a million US dollars in commitment fees from Calendar Years 2018 to 2022 for the loan components of the Metro Manila Flood Management Project, according to a disclosure by the Bureau of the Treasury.

This amount could have provided a kilo of rice each for more than half a million Filipinos.

Engineer Aguilar described the learning curve as very steep when adapting to the processes required for project implementation under the World Bank.

“I may have experience managing grants, but it was our first time handling procurement, outsourcing, contract preparation, and disbursement of project expenses," she explained.

She suggested that the World Bank provide capacity-building support for implementers, which the bank eventually did.

“The World Bank uses numerous tools and, in my opinion, is the strictest among lending institutions," she added.

Dr. Guillermo Tabios III with the UP Institute of Civil Engineering thinks that it is a governance issue.

”That's why I was involved in doing the Department of Water, which is going to be an outfit or a department that will be a full-time dedicated body. We'll keep looking at flood management.  It's no longer the way you do things. It's re-adaptive planning. You keep on looking everyday at what's happening. And then making, we should innovate and  become creative, and so on. How do you solve that?”

Philippine debt increasing

The Philippine’s debt equates to more than half of its  GDP in 2022, based on IMF’s general Government Debt Database. The Philippines owes three dollars in every five dollars it earned in 2022.  On average, the Philippines made interest payments equal to one in every six dollars of revenue over the past decade.

These additional fees could have been used to finance basic social services to the millions of Filipinos in the metropolis.

The Philippines owes nearly $20 billion to various lenders to finance different infrastructure projects in the country.

More than half of these infrastructure projects were funded by Japan, with nearly $11 billion.

Japan financed three out of every five dollars spent on infrastructure projects in the country.

SOLUTION

Most agree that even with an effective flood management system, without integrating a holistic approach—such as addressing deforestation, managing land use, and reducing waste generation—efficient flood control would remain a challenge.

Michael Gison, director of the MMDA Physical Planning and Spatial Development Service, emphasized the importance of managing waste properly.

Composting could cut waste generation in half, while recycling would divert reusable materials back into the material cycle.

This would reduce expenses on waste management, freeing funds that could be allocated to basic services and disaster relief.

Engineer Aguilar hopes that the government will allocate sufficient funds for flood management projects in the 2025 General Appropriations Act. 

She also emphasized that the government should remain consistent in implementing these projects and ensure their completion without delays or derailments.

The government should also not focus solely on infrastructure development; instead, a holistic approach should be taken in addressing flood control management, according to Engineer Jose Antonio Montelibano of Pro-People Engineers and Leaders (PROPEL).

“Holistic, in the sense that other factors—whether environmental, social, or economic—should be considered in flood management,” he said, emphasizing the importance of addressing issues such as deforestation, quarrying, rapid urbanization, and land conversion, and how these factors contribute to Metro Manila’s flooding problem.

"Implementers should also consider the experiences of those on the ground, as they are the ones directly affected by the problem," he said, emphasizing the importance of genuine consultation with affected communities in implementing an effective flood management program.

Dr. Tabios said that designers should not merely let nature take care of itself but should create developments that require modifying the landscape to alter flood dynamics.

He also reminded experts to always consult with affected communities.  

“I may be highly specialized, let’s say, in hydraulic computations, but I lack expertise in the social, biological, or ecological implications of those computations. The only way to gain a better understanding is through the communities, as they experience these realities firsthand. They are in a better position to analyze and provide insights into the real implications and impacts on the community," he said.

“Public participation or consultation—that’s how you truly understand the facts and the meaning of what’s happening. Like floods, those are the realities."

[Part I] Communities struggle to stay afloat as delays impede flood management in Metro Manila

[Part II] The price of underestimating climate change

NOTE:  This story was produced with the support of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network as part of the Media Action on Sustainable Infrastructure in the Philippines Project.

METHODOLOGY: The author utilized data on the Metro Manila Flood Management Project from published reports by the World Bank, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Commission on Audit (COA). Information on Official Development Assistance was sourced from published reports by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). Data on populations susceptible to flooding were gathered from PHIVOLCS GeoRisk PH, published by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Rainfall data were obtained from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) - Climate and Agrometeorological Data Section (CADS). To gain a better understanding of the situation, the author conducted interviews with residents of Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City and Barangay 180, Maricaban, Pasay. Furthermore, the author interviewed representatives from the MMDA and DPWH to gather feedback on the data findings. Experts from Propel - Pro-People Engineers and Leaders, as well as Dr. Guillermo Q. Tabios III, Professor Emeritus at the UP Institute of Civil Engineering, were also interviewed for their feedback and recommendations.