The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced Thursday that the ongoing drainage rehabilitation along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City is on track for completion by mid-February.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed the timeline during an inspection of the project, which aims to address the chronic flooding that has long plagued the area.
The expansion project, which began in March 2025, involves replacing old, 36-inch drainage pipes with significantly larger 1.5-meter diameter pipes to increase water capacity.
“The flooding situation on Araneta Avenue is severe; it can reach ‘lampas-tao’ (higher than a man’s height), so we doubled the drainage capacity,” Dizon said.
The project is a key component of the administration’s “Oplan Kontra Baha,” a localized flood-mitigation initiative.
In addition to the drainage expansion, the DPWH is coordinating with the private sector and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to dredge the nearby San Juan River.
Dizon emphasized that the drainage upgrades must work in tandem with the river dredging to be effective.
“If the San Juan River overflows, these pipes will be useless because the water will just flow back. We are doing these projects simultaneously so that by the next rainy season, flooding in this area will be significantly reduced,” he added.
The DPWH is also proposing the construction of a new pumping station in the area to further accelerate the flow of floodwaters toward the river.
The push to finish the project by February aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to complete critical desilting and drainage works across Metro Manila before the onset of the 2026 wet season.