Construction has officially commenced on a new water detention basin at Rajah Sulayman Plaza in Malate, Manila, marking a major step in the national government’s drive to curb urban flooding.
The infrastructure project, spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), is designed to catch and hold approximately 3 million liters of rainwater during heavy downpours. The impounded floodwater will then be systematically released into Manila Bay once rainfall subsides.
The facility forms a critical component of broader national initiatives aimed at managing run-off water and reducing inundation across flood-vulnerable zones in the capital region.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon stated that the administration’s plan covers a comprehensive range of structural enhancements. According to Dizon, these measures include the construction of detention basins, as well as the upgrading of drainage systems and pumping stations in Metro Manila.
Once operational, the Rajah Sulayman Plaza detention basin will significantly increase the city’s temporary water storage capacity during torrential storms, preventing excess rainwater from overflowing into nearby residential and commercial streets before its eventual discharge into Manila Bay.