Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has recommended an independent third-party review of the Estero de Sunog Apog pumping station in Gagalangin, Tondo, which has faced criticism for being “constantly broken” since its completion in 2020.
The facility, built at a cost of over PHP774 million, was intended to protect flood-prone areas in Manila such as España Boulevard, Sampaloc, Rizal Avenue, and Maria Clara Street. Despite repeated repairs almost every year, no independent evaluation has ever been conducted.
“They say they need an additional 200 million. I’ve already scratched the surface. I said, there’s no end to it. So what we’re going to do here is we’re going to do a third-party assessment. So that I really know what needs to be done to fix it once and for all. And how much does it cost,” Dizon said.
During an inspection on Sept. 24 with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and ICI Special Adviser Benjamin Magalong, Dizon noted that residents had long complained that the station never worked as intended and even worsened flooding in the area.
“This is worse. Because it was useless from the beginning, you paid in full, it does not work, it does not help anyone, maybe it is even worse because it is blocking the water here even more. Then it was repaired, it is useless because it is still not working,” he said.
While the contractor claims current repairs are covered by warranty, Dizon flagged a separate PHP94 million fund for additional repairs, calling it a “wrong system.” He directed the DPWH-NCR to work with the MMDA to ensure long-term solutions.
“This cannot be repeated. These kinds of projects must be ensured to be functional—not just built and paid for,” he stressed.
