Francis Zamora: NCR’s old drainage system needs review to curb flooding

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, the head of the Metro Manila Council (MMC),on Sunday said the drainage system in the National Capital Region needs re-assessment to address the current flooding situation.

“Ang drainage system sa Metro Manila luma na,” Zamora told Super Radyo dzBB.

LIVE sa DZBB: San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora (@franciszamora30), president, Metro Manila Council

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— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 3, 2025

“Kailangan talaga aaralin talaga ang ating drainage system at gumawa ng isang masterplan na kakayanin yung population, current volume ng ulan, climate change, [at] problema ng basura,” he added.

(The drainage system in Metro Manila is old. We need to study our drainage system and craft a masterplan that can handle our population, current volume of rain, climate, and problems with garbage.)

Citing Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Zamora said one person generates around one kilo of trash per day.

“Kung 15 million tayo sa (If we’re 15 million in) Metro Manila, that’s 15 million kilos ng (of) trash (daily),” Zamora said.

He noted that these garbage is usually disposed in rivers, creeks, and drainages, causing clogging that leads to flooding.

“May mga drainage system na tinayuan ng bahay and ibang structures. Kailangan talaga i-imbentaryo lahat ng drainage system,” he added.

(Some drainage systems have been built over with houses and other structures. It is important to assess all drainage systems.)

Last week, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reported over 500 flood incidents in Metro Manila in the last 24 hours amid the heavy downpour brought about by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and the trough of the low pressure area (LPA).

Based on data gathered by GMA Integrated News Research, the Department of Public Works and Highways received around P980.25 billion budget for flood control projects from 2023 to 2025.

Financial, performance audit 

In a separate dzBB interview, Senator Loren Legarda said government should not only engage in financial audits but also performance audits in assessing the country’s 2026 budget. 

“Ang pag-audit, hindi lamang dapat financial audit kundi pati performance audit para masuri ang mga proyektong epektibo at kapakipakinabang at kung ano ang substandard o baka naman hindi naitayo,” Legarda said. 

(We should engage in a financial and performance audit to scrutinize whether the project is effective and useful, and what was substandard or was not built.)

Legarda made the remark as she stressed the need to review the structural integrity of waterways, canals, and drainages following the flooding brought by the inclement weather. 

The senator noted that a private sector auditing group could check the structural integrity of flood mitigation projects, but said she leaves it to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to decide which institution or body where the responsibility should fall to.

“The financial audit is different from actual performance or a structural audit. It has to be science-based,” Legarda said.

“Dapat i-akma natin sa totoong napondohan na ayon sa national budget at i-review ang structural integrity ng mga itinayong ito dahil alam na naman natin na ang pagtatayo 20 years ago, hindi na pareho ang quality ngayon dahil nagbago na ang klima, mas matindi at mas malakas ang ulan,” she added.

(We should align with what is actually funded under the national budget and review the structural integrity of these projects, because we know that what was built 20 years ago no longer meets today’s standards because of climate change, where rainfall is now more intense and frequent.)

During his fourth State of the Nation Address, Marcos tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a list of flood control projects in the last three years.

The President said there will be a regional monitoring committee that will examine the projects to see their progress and if they exist. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News