THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) is not in the list of potential sites for rainwater catchment structures as the government has yet to persuade its administrators to allow the campus to become one of the project sites, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. mentioned UST as among the possible sites for flood mitigation projects during a media briefing in Pasay last Wednesday, Aug. 19.
However, the University is not in the list of 39 priority sites released by Malacañang a day later.
“UST is not yet included. But there is a preliminary study already,” MMDA Chairman Romando Artes told The Flame on Thursday, Aug. 20.
“The ones in the list are those whose stakeholders we have spoken with and who have already agreed,” he added.
Of the 39 potential project sites, four are in Manila, namely Baseco Lagoon, Freedom Triangle Plaza, Remedios Circle and the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.
Speaking to reporters in Pasay last Wednesday, Artes said the MMDA hopes to convince the UST officials to permit the construction of the rainwater catchment structure inside the campus by showcasing the completed projects.
“Perhaps once we complete a good project, such as the one at the Rizal Memorial Stadium or [Camp] Aguinaldo, we can showcase it to them and demonstrate that it works and that we are capable of restoring the site to serve its purpose,” Artes said.
The MMDA has proposed the construction of a 72,000-cubic-meter catch basin in the University’s open field. UST has yet to approve or reject the agency’s proposed construction of a rainwater catchment basin.
Artes said the University might warm up to the idea once similar projects demonstrate effectiveness.
Public Works Secretary Vicencio Dizon previously said the government could not proceed with the project without the University’s approval.
READ: DPWH still open to proposed catchment basin inside UST to solve flooding woes
A similar proposal was floated in 2015 under the administration of former president Benigno Aquino III, but it was eventually canceled due to concerns about preserving the UST open field, which has been declared a National Cultural Treasure.
The catchment structures will collect rainwater during intense rainfall instead of allowing it to immediately flow into Metro Manila’s aging drainage system. Detailed engineering of the projects would be finalized within the month, Marcos said.
Marcos has also instructed the MMDA to study how water collected through the proposed rainwater catchment structures could be reused. F — Alliya Jade Perez
