President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. inspected the newly rehabilitated Sunog Apog Pumping Station in Tondo, Manila, on Monday, May 25, marking the facility’s return to service after remaining dormant for six years.
Despite being declared complete and fully funded by 2020, the ₱774 million project had never functioned, leaving Tondo vulnerable to flooding.
During his visit, the President expressed frustration over the years of inaction.
“Nandito tayo sa Sunog Apog Pumping Station. Kaya tayo nandito para makita kung talagang naayos na (We are here at the Sunog Apog Pumping Station. We are here to see if it has really been fixed),” Marcos said. “Dahil mula noong in-inaugurate ito at binuksan ito noong 2020 ay ni minsan hindi gumana ito. It has never worked at all for six years (Because since it was inaugurated and opened in 2020, it has never worked even once. It has never worked at all for six years).”
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro provided details on the project’s troubled history, noting it was financed through the 2017 and 2019 national budgets.
“Hindi ito gumagana sa loob ng anim na taon (It has not been working for six years),” Castro stated.
“Ngunit dahil sa utos ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. at sa pangunguna ni DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, ito ay naayos at napagana sa ngayon (But because of the order of President Marcos Jr. and under the leadership of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, it was fixed and is now operational).”
The rehabilitation, which began in November, addressed critical design flaws that previously caused the system to shut down after just minutes of operation.
According to the President, the current improvements have already shown tangible results.
“Siguro mga one foot, mga 12 inches ang binaba na kaagad ng tubig (Perhaps about one foot, about 12 inches of water was immediately drained),” the President said.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon noted that while the station is a crucial component of Metro Manila’s flood mitigation strategy, it is not a cure-all.
“Hindi man nito tuluyang masosolusyunan ang pagbaha, pero malaking tulong ang gumaganang pumping station para maibsan kahit papaano ang epekto nito sa mga komunidad (It may not completely solve the flooding, but a working pumping station is a big help to somehow alleviate its impact on the communities),” Dizon said.
Currently, three of the station’s four pumps are active. The final pump is undergoing upgrades and is scheduled to be fully operational by June.
MMDA General Manager Nicolas Torre III urged local residents to support the effort by keeping drainage systems free of debris to prevent future mechanical blockages.