The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will convene an Oplan Kontra Baha summit on Thursday to align government agencies, local governments, and private partners on flood mitigation measures, as officials push to reduce flooding in Metro Manila by as much as 60%.
MMDA General Manager Gen. Torre III said the summit will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Department of Public Works and Highways Central Office in the Port Area, Manila, and will cover enforcement, engineering interventions, and accountability for violations that contribute to flooding.
The meeting will bring together the DPWH, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, San Miguel Corp., the North Luzon Expressway Corp., local government units, and other stakeholders, including private entities involved in dredging and flood control.
Torre said all aspects of flood mitigation will be discussed, including penal provisions and possible interventions against violators identified as contributors to flooding.
He noted that a preliminary coordination meeting was held earlier this week with the DPWH and San Miguel Corp., one of the government’s largest private partners in dredging operations.
Torre said the MMDA will present updates on its comprehensive flood control program, including progress indicators and performance metrics, during the summit.
Two experts from the University of the Philippines—Dr. Guillermo Tabios III, professor emeritus at the UP Institute of Civil Engineering, and Dr. Alfredo Mahar-Lagmay, professor and executive director of Project NOAH—will deliver keynote presentations.
The academics are expected to outline matrices that will be used to measure progress and assess the effectiveness of ongoing flood mitigation efforts.
The MMDA is currently targeting the regular cleaning of 25 esteros across Metro Manila, Torre said, stressing that all clearing, dredging, and waterway expansion efforts are coordinated with concerned local government units and the DPWH.
Recent operations were conducted in Valenzuela, while additional activities are scheduled in Malabon in coordination with Mayor Jeannie Sandoval.
Torre said he has also held discussions with Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto to address city-specific flood control challenges.
Torre said all MMDA-managed pumping stations undergo regular simulation exercises and preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance to ensure readiness during heavy rains, particularly in low-lying areas.
He added that several booster pumps installed in previous years are now under review after data showed some units may not have functioned as intended during past flooding incidents.
