DPWH eyes retarding pond in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - After failing to find a private establishment that would allow the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to dig a retarding pond on its property, Secretary Mark Villar said recently they have turned their search to government-owned properties.

He said that they are considering as two government properties in Manila as alternative sites for the cisterns that would temporarily store rainwater.

“There are several potential sites but we are experiencing difficulty because some are rejecting the idea of (putting up a) water impounding area,” Villar said.

He added that he would make an announcement once they have conducted a feasibility test on the location for the cisterns and once they get the support of the government office concerned.

Villar said the DPWH is looking for areas “that are low-lying and are prone to floods. We are searching for open spaces where we could put up a water impounding area.”

It was Villar’s predecessor, Rogelio Singson, who introduced the idea of utilizing open spaces and turning them as catch basins for rainwater to prevent flooding.

During heavy rains, the water would be temporarily stored in the rainwater tank and later gradually released.

One of the sites considered by Singson was the football field of the University of Santo Tomas, which is located along flood-prone España Boulevard.

Singson, before he became DPWH chief, helped design a rainwater impounding area beneath the Burgos Circle in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.