THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed a major drainage upgrade along Araneta Ave. in Quezon City, expected to significantly reduce flooding in the area.
The project, which tripled the capacity of the existing drainage system, forms part of the government’s flood control initiatives under the Oplan Kontra Baha program.
It aims to minimize flooding that has long affected motorists and residents along the busy thoroughfare in Quezon City.
The accelerated completion followed a directive of President Marcos who ordered concerned agencies to fast-track flood control projects ahead of the rainy season.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the drainage capacity along Araneta Ave. has been increased threefold to ensure faster water runoff during heavy rains.
He added that mobile pumping units were deployed while the pumping station along E. Rodriguez Ave. was still under construction. Continuous dredging and clearing operations are also ongoing at the San Juan River to further boost flood control measures.
Under Oplan Kontra Baha, the government intensified clearing operations in waterways nationwide. Nearly 91,000 cubic meters of silt and waste — equivalent to about 36 Olympic-sized swimming pools — have been removed from canals, esteros, rivers, and other waterways across the National Capital Region, Central Visayas, and the Negros Island Region.
Dizon said completion of the Araneta drainage system marks a key milestone in strengthening urban flood resilience as the rainy months approach.
