By Brian Campued
As part of the administration’s various initiatives to mitigate flooding in the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday announced plans for additional pumping stations across Metro Manila while emphasizing the need to address the garbage problem, which usually builds up along critical waterways.
Following an inspection at the Tripa de Gallina Pumping Station in Pasay City, President Marcos Jr. said that while pumps are operating properly, the volume of garbage clogging the drainage systems lowers the efficiency of such facilities.
“Kahit na maganda ang ating pumping station, kahit na malakas ang ating mga bomba, kapag nandiyan pa rin, pumapasok pa rin ‘yung basura, siyempre ang efficiency niyan bababa, hindi na masyadong maganda ang takbo. Kaya’t ‘yan ang kailangan natin ayusin ngayon,” he said.
As the largest of the 73 pumping stations operated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Tripa de Gallina can pump up to 56 cubic meters per second of water at maximum capacity.
Up to 8 cubic meters of garbage are also collected daily from the pumping station, which is equivalent to roughly half a dump truck, according to MMDA Chairperson Don Artes.
To help manage excess rainwater and mitigate flooding, President Marcos Jr. said at least 13 additional pumping stations will be installed in Metro Manila and targeted to be operational by the end of 2026 or early 2027.
He also stressed the need to improve waste management, including composting organic waste and exploring waste-to-energy programs for other types of garbage.
“Kaya’t naghahanap tayo ng mga iba’t ibang pamamaraan upang magamit ‘yung basura, at iyan ginagawang compost, ginagawang paso na organic, tapos ‘yung iba, kailangan talaga itapon sa landfill,” he said.
With the waste-to-energy program, the President said the Department of Energy (DOE) has started the bidding process and could be implemented by 2027.
“Medyo mabilis naman yan, at ‘yung waste-to-energy should be, as long as the financing is available, I think will be able to put those into action by next year,” he said.
The DOE previously increased the waste-to-energy capacity under the Green Energy Auction Program from 230 megawatts (MW) to 400 MW, with the auction proper scheduled for Oct. 13.
According to the DOE, around 200 MW of power could be generated from an estimated 9,000 metric tons of municipal solid waste produced daily in Metro Manila.
-jpv
