Forever flooding in Metro Manila? An expert weighs in

The Howie Severino Podcast

Prominent flood control engineer Dr. Guillermo Tabios shares a harsh reality — some densely populated areas of Manila may no longer be livable.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Howie Severino triggered by recent devastating flooding, the UP professor emeritus of civil engineering explains that the low-lying metropolis could be facing unstoppable flooding.

Climate change, clogged waterways, and the lack of major infrastructure spell regular disasters for millions of residents. Unless large floodways are built to carry water to the sea, Tabios says certain residential areas need to be abandoned to avoid the certainty of worsening floods and regular evacuations and fatalities. Current flood control projects are a patchwork that hasn’t solved the problem. He calls for a new cabinet-level Department of Water Resources that will coordinate government efforts and focus on comprehensive solutions.

Tabios cites Iloilo City as an urban center that has built effective flood control systems by diverting water away from the city center.

In Metro Manila, such an approach may require tunneling from Laguna Lake to the Pacific Ocean. According to Tabios, the reclamation projects in Manila Bay only exacerbate the situation by blocking the flow of water to the sea.

Producer: Aubrey Delos Reyes

Researcher: Lilian Tiburcio

Editor: Jayr Magtoto

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