3 Water Basins to Be Built in Rizal Park to Ease Manila Flooding

MANILA, Philippines — Three water detention basins will be built in Rizal Park in Manila next year to help mitigate widespread flooding in the city, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said on Tuesday. According to Dizon, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) agreed on the plan during a meeting. The project aims to temporarily store large volumes of rainwater in unused areas of the park, thereby reducing the burden on the sewage system. Manila and its surrounding areas frequently experience inundation due to heavy rains and storm surges, significantly impacting daily life and economic activities. Secretary Dizon stated that this project is a crucial step in the city's flood mitigation efforts, emphasizing that it will effectively address flooding while minimizing its impact on the park's landscape and usage. In the Philippines, the intensification of extreme weather events due to climate change and the limitations of drainage systems resulting from rapid urbanization have exacerbated flooding issues. Metro Manila, in particular, is a high-risk area for floods due to its low-lying terrain and proximity to rivers and the bay. This initiative to construct water basins is part of broader disaster prevention and mitigation measures through infrastructure development, underscoring the growing importance of environmental considerations in future urban planning.