In Manila, a detention basin is under construction beneath Rajah Sulayman Plaza to help ease flooding -- DPWH

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A water detention basin is under construction beneath Rajah Sulayman Plaza in Manila to help mitigate flooding in Malate, Remedios, and areas toward Taft Avenue, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Tuesday.

Dizon inspected the ongoing construction of the 4.6-meter-deep facility, which can store rainwater up to one-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“Sabi ng Pangulo, tama na ang diskusyon, tama na ang salita, aksyon na tayo,” he said, thanking the City of Manila and Mayor Isko Moreno for giving a permit to construct the essential flood control infrastructure at the Rajah Sulayman Plaza.

(The President said enough discussion, enough words, let’s take action.)

“Ito ang magse-serve na detention basin para sa area ng Malate, Remedios, papuntang Taft Avenue,” he added.

(This will serve as a detention basin for the area of Malate, Remedios, going to Taft Avenue.)

The facility is designed to store excess rainwater during heavy downpours, reducing the volume of water that immediately enters the drainage system and potentially easing flooding in nearby flood-prone areas.

The Rajah Sulayman Plaza Detention Basin Project was ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as part of the government's efforts to address severe flooding in Metro Manila during the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat season.

More and more detention basins are being built around Metro Manila to ease flooding. Earlier this year, Quezon City announced the opening of a basketball court with a detention basin underneath in Barangay Santa Monica, as well as building a retention and detention pond at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Detention basins were also built in G. Araneta and Maria Clara Street, so floods that used to last five hours there only lasted two.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Maki Pulido, these efforts by the QC Government have already helped ease flooding during the habagat rains last August.

A detention basin is where rainwater goes instead of flooding streets. It temporarily stores rainwater which it will later release to nearby rivers. It's exactly why it doesn't flood in BGC in Taguig.