Photo credit: DPWH

Good news for residents of Sunog Apog in Tondo: three of the area’s four pumping stations are expected to be up and running before the next rainy season, a move aimed at keeping floodwaters at bay and ensuring smoother water flow during heavy downpours.

This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered all pumping stations nationwide checked and fixed to finally address the country’s persistent flooding problems.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the directive came straight from the President, with a clear deadline—get the Sunog Apog pumps operational before the next monsoon hits.

“What’s important is that we now have a deadline. The President set that deadline because that was also the request of Mayor Isko—that before the next rainy season starts, at least three of the four pumps here should already be working,” Dizon said.

Dizon personally inspected the site on Tuesday alongside MMDA Chairman Romando Artes and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno.

The DPWH chief stressed that solving the problem required more than quick fixes. He welcomed the voluntary technical assessment by private firm Prime Infra, working closely with the local government, to identify the root causes of the pumping station’s failures.

“In the past, what we saw were band-aid solutions, not a full fix. Now, with the help of Prime Infra and the local government, we’re looking at the problem as a whole so we can come up with a long-term solution,” Dizon explained.

Beyond restoring the pumping stations, the government is also stepping up cleanup operations in esteros, canals, rivers, and other waterways under Oplan Kontra Baha—aimed at removing garbage and debris that worsen flooding.

For Sunog Apog residents, the message is clear: before the rains return, help is finally on the way.