Two newly installed pumps at the Remedios Pumping Station in Malate, Manila are now operational as the government steps up efforts to reduce flooding in low-lying parts of the city.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said during an inspection on September 16 that five pumping stations serving the area — Abad, Remedios, Padre Faura, Harbor and Luneta — are now fully operational.

According to Dizon, the facilities are now directly connected to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), while generator sets will serve as backup power sources. He said some of the pumping stations previously relied solely on generators because they had not yet been connected to the power grid.

The two new pumps at Remedios are expected to help floodwaters recede faster in affected areas of Malate, including locations extending toward Taft Avenue. DPWH said the operation of the five pumping stations is expected to lessen flooding during the rainy season.

Aside from the pumping facilities, DPWH is constructing a detention basin beneath Rajah Sulayman Park in front of Malate Church.

The basin will be about five meters deep and have a capacity equivalent to at least 1.5 Olympic-size swimming pools. It is designed to temporarily hold excess rainwater and help reduce flooding around Remedios Circle and nearby areas of Malate.

Dizon said construction is expected to take six months, with completion targeted for early 2027.

The projects form part of ongoing flood-mitigation efforts in Manila, where DPWH has also been working on improvements to drainage and pumping infrastructure in flood-prone areas.

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