UP, MMDA team up to boost Metro Manila flood resilience

MANILA, Philippines – The University of the Philippines (UP) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have partnered to strengthen flood management in Metro Manila through research, technical assistance and science-based planning.

The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, Oct. 21, establishing a framework for cooperation in research, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and the development of practical tools for flood mitigation.

The partnership supports the government’s Oplan Kontra Baha initiative, which includes plans to build 39 detention basins under the Metro Manila Sponge City Project. The facilities are designed to temporarily store rainwater before releasing it into drainage systems to help mitigate flooding.

MMDA Chair Atty. Don Artes said the project would combine infrastructure with nature-based solutions to help slow flooding while creating useful spaces for communities.

READ: MMDA to build 3 rainwater facilities in Manila to curb flooding

Expansion of EFCOS 

Meanwhile, Artes said the MMDA was in talks with UP Resilience Institute-NOAH Executive Director Alfredo Mahar Lagmay on the possible expansion of the Efficient Flood Control Operating System, which currently monitors rainfall and water volume in the upper Marikina area.

Expanding the system to cover Metro Manila would help authorities assess rainfall and share data with UP Resilience Institute-NOAH to simulate possible flooding and identify areas at risk, Artes said.

Lagmay said science could help authorities make evidence-based forecasts and assess flood risks rather than rely on changing or improvised explanations.

He also stressed the importance of using scientific forecasts and historical data to assess flooding and guide decisions on mitigation measures.

READ: Gov’t eyes P4.05B for 5 Metro Manila rain catchment facilities

Shared priorities

UP President Angelo Jimenez said the partnership would allow the two institutions to identify shared priorities and develop collaborative activities based on their respective mandates and capabilities.

“The challenges confronting Metro Manila are too complex for any institution to address alone,” Jimenez said, emphasizing the value of combining government agencies’ operational capacity with universities’ research and technical expertise.

Jimenez said the partnership reflected UP’s commitment to applying research and scientific expertise to public service.

“Research must not remain confined to laboratories or academic publications. It must help inform decisions, improve public programs, and ultimately serve the people who need it most,” he said. /jpv