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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
July 22, 2025 | 5:28pm
A young boy pushes a tricycle through a flooded street in Manila on July 22, 2025, after heavy rains caused floodings enhanced by monsoon.
AFP / Ted Aljibe
MANILA, Philippines — Who is to blame for the widespread flooding in Metro Manila?
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) partly blamed improper waste disposal by residents.
In a briefing on Tuesday, July 22, MMDA Chair Don Artes said declogging operations were ongoing as rains continued to pound the capital due to the southwest monsoon.
Artes noted that during cleanup efforts, they found large household items such as sofas and refrigerators blocking the drains and pumps.
While waste was a major factor, Artes also cited the metro’s outdated drainage system as part of the problem.
“Maliliit na po iyong ating drainage system, antiquated na siya, more than 50 years old, tapos po nababarahan pa po ng ganitong klaseng mga basura, talaga pong mahihirapang mailabas po iyong tubig at mapahupa iyong baha,” Artes said.
(Our drainage system is old, more than 50 years old, and it would block these kinds of trash, it would be difficult for the water to come out and for the flood to subside.)
Artes said that the public should be more disciplined in handling their trash. The MMDA chair insisted that local governments routinely pick up garbage, but some people remain hardheaded.
He urged citizens to be more responsible in disposing of their waste.
Beyond blame
While the MMDA and other government agencies have blamed trash as one of the causes of flooding, the government itself has also been criticized for delays in flood mitigation projects.
In 2024, the Commission on Audit flagged the MMDA for delays in 22 out of 58 flood management projects, with a combined budget of P510.58 million.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has also faced heavy criticism over the slow implementation of flood control projects.
The agency cited right-of-way issues, pending local government permits and other factors as reasons for the delays.
