EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. THE STUDY

(1) In September 2009, Tropical Storm Ondoy hit Metro Manila and the surrounding areas causing
tremendous flood damage.

(2) The objective of the Study is to establish the vision, which will be the blueprint or road map for a
sustainable and effective flood risk management (FRM) in Metro Manila and the surrounding areas.

(3) The study area covers the entire Metro Manila and surrounding area of 4,373 km2 composed of the
Pasig-Marikina River Basin (RB), Malabon-Tullahan RB, Meycauayan RB, South Parañaque-Las
Piñas RB, Laguna Lake Basin and the drainage basins.

(4) Considering the floods and flood damage especially caused by the Tropical Storm Ondoy and results of
the analysis on the mechanism of floods and flood damage, in order to attain certain flood safety
levels in Metro Manila and surrounding areas, structural measures and non-structural measures for
integrated flood risk management were proposed. Among them, priority projects were selected and
proposed.

(5) In addition to the above countermeasures, improvement of the institutional system for FRM was
studied and several alternative organizational set-ups for FRM were presented.

(6) Finally, tentative implementation program for the proposed Master plan with target year of 2035 was
proposed.

2. MECHANISMS OF FLOOD AND FLOOD DAMAGE

The mechanism of occurrence of flood and flood damage is as outlined below:

(1) Many settlements exist in the dangerous flood risk areas such as inside or very near river channels as
well as the low-lying areas along the Laguna lakeshores and even in the lake.

(2) Small flow capacity of the rivers, resulting in the overflow of floodwater.

(3) Insufficient drainage system against heavy concentrated rainfall.

(4) Unsatisfactory protection level for residents around the rivers and beside the Laguna Lakeshore.

(5) Lack of consistent management of the river system including river area and river channel.

(6) Non-existence of integrated flood control and mitigation plan and activities.

(7) Insufficient action and activities with regard to warning and evacuation.

3. DIRECTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

Based on the above mechanism, the directions for improvement of the flood risk management
(FRM) are as follows:

(1) Development of safe society resilient to floods by managing land use in flood risk areas together
with the implementation of artificial flood control structures.

(2) Utilization of the benefit of flood as water resources by storing floodwaters properly.

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 (3) Improvement and strengthening of flood warning and information systems.

(4) Establishment of flood risk management system for consistent management of river systems
including river channel and river area.

(5) Improvement of institutional system for conducting integrated flood risk management (FRM).

4. PROPOSED MACRO FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATED FLOOD RISK

MANAGEMENT PLAN

4.1 Flood Risk Map

(1) The Study has prepared the Flood Risk Map on Danger of Casualty for the rivers and Laguna
Lake, indicating the areas with flood risk levels of Level-1: Low Risk, Level-2: Medium Risk,
Level-3: High Risk, and Level-4: Very High Risk.

(2) The population in the Study Area exposed to Risk Level-3 or Level-4 is estimated at
1.17 million, which is about 6.8% of the total population in the Study Area.

(3) People living in Risk Level-4 areas are the first to be resettled to in-city or nearby higher safety
places followed by the people in Level-3 areas. If flood water is not destructive in some areas,
on-site development in those areas is also possible for temporarily solution.

(4) It is recommended that the flood risk maps be applied to the comprehensive land use plans and
management of lands by the local government units (LGUs) concerned.

4.2 Target Flood Safety Level

(1) Target flood safety levels are to be of the same magnitude or slightly higher than the recorded
maximum such as the Ondoy flood, using the target flood safety level in other Asian mega
cities as reference.

(2) The target flood safety levels proposed are as follows:

a) Pasig-Marikina River: 100-year return period (RP) flood based on 2-day rainfall

b) Meycauayan River: 50-year RP of 2-day rainfall

c) Malabon-Tullahan River: 50-year RP of 2-day rainfall

d) South Parañaque-Las Piñas River: 30-year RP of 2-day rainfall

e) Inflow rivers to Laguna Lake: 30-year RP of 2-day rainfall

f) Laguna Lake: 60-year RP of lake water level

4.3 Short List of Proposed Projects

4.3.1 Structural Mitigation Measures

(1) Proposed structural mitigation measures for the Master Plan are as described below.
Prioritization has been made, considering the severity of potential flood risk, severity of flood,
technical, economic, social and environmental viabilities, balance of distribution among the
areas and projects for the rivers and Laguna Lake, and 2035 as the target year.

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(2) Pasig-Marikina River Improvement with Large Marikina Dam: Project cost of 198,435 million
pesos and with very high priority

This project can be divided into the following sub-projects:

a) Improvement of the Upper and Upper Upper Marikina River (upstream from
bifurcation of Mangahan Floodway to the existing Wawa Dam).

b) Construction of Marikina Large Dam.

c) Re-improvement of Pasig River and Lower Marikina River, and improvement of San
Juan River and Napindan Channel.
As for the a), the River improvement of the Upper and Upper Upper Marikina River includes
utilization of the wide natural retarding basin in the Upper Upper Marikina River for reducing
the peak flood discharge.
As for the b), the Marikina Large Dam was proposed to be constructed at about 4km upstream
from the existing Wawa Dam in Montalban Gorge. The Marikina Large Dm has a gross
storage capacity of about 83.8 million m 3 (MCM) including flood control storage capacity of
67.4 MCM. Concrete gravity type with 70m height was proposed for the Dam. During rainy
season, the Dam will catch flood water for reducing peak discharge of floods to the
downstream reaches. At the end of rainy season, the Dam will store water, and the water will
be released during dry season for supplementing raw water for water supply to Metro Manila
and vicinity areas.

As for c), although the relative differences of evaluation among river improvement c) and its
alternatives are small, if one of them is to be recommended for the Master Plan, river
improvement c) is proposed in this stage from the economic and preliminary social impact
points of view. This plan as well as other major alternatives will utilize the results of the
Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project (ongoing Phase II and near future Phase
III), and upgrade the flood safety level up to a 100-year return period flood by conducting
some additional works of new river wall along the Lower Marikina River and dredging in the
Pasig River downstream reach between the junction with the San Juan River and the river
mouth. Further detailed social impact study is to be conducted in the feasibility study stage for
the above proposed measures as well as other major alternatives of river improvement with
Large Marikina Dam. Implementation of the Phase III project is effective and meaningful as
the first step of river improvement in and around the Lower Marikina River.

(3) Meycauayan River Improvement: Project cost of 14,040 million pesos, with high priority

(4) Malabon-Tullahan River Improvement: Project cost of 21,635 million pesos, with high priority

(5) South Parañaque – Las Piñas River Improvement: Project cost of 17,335 million pesos, with
marginal priority

(6) Laguna Lakeshore Protection: West Laguna Lakeshore Land Raising: Project Cost of 25,185
million pesos, with very high priority

a) Raising lakeshore land is proposed for the west lakeshore area.

b) The raised land can be utilized for improvement of road transportation and development
of the lakeshore area for tourism, commercial, cultural places etc. by utilizing the
valuable natural environment including ecosystem and landscape of Laguna Lake.

(7) Land Raising for Small Cities around Laguna Lake: Project Cost of 7,158 Million Pesos with
high priority

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 As the topographic data is insufficient, it is recommended to study more about this project.

(8) East Mangahan Floodway: Project Cost of 25,901 Million Pesos with high priority
This project includes the river improvement of the Cainta and Taytay Rivers with new
floodway along the eastern side of the Mangahan Floodway to flow water from these rivers to
Laguna Lake.

(9) Improvements of the Inflow Rivers to Laguna Lake: Project Cost of 637 Million Pesos with high
priority
As the topographic data is insufficient, it is recommended to study more about this project.

(10) Manila Core Area Drainage Improvement: Project Cost of 27,257 Million Pesos with high
priority

(11) West Mangahan Area Drainage Improvement: Project Cost of 5,522 Million Pesos with
marginal priority

(12) Valenzuela, Obando and Meycauayan (VOM) Area Drainage Improvement: still conceptual
plan only, and to be studied more.

4.3.2 Non-Structural Mitigation Measures

The proposed non-structural mitigation measures for the master plan are as follows:

(1) Land Use Management in the Very High and High Flood Risk Areas (Top Priority)

a) Land use management in the very high flood risk areas (Level-4) and high flood risk
areas (Level-3) including resettlement of people from the Level-4 and Level-3 areas to
in-city or nearby higher safety places as much as possible is to be conducted related to
the proposed structural mitigation measures.

b) Total 787 thousand people are to be resettled from Level-4 areas and Level-3 areas.

c) Appropriate mitigation measures including compensation are to be provided to the

resettled people for maintaining their communities and livelihood.

d) In order to implement the land use management including the resettlement, it is

recommended that President will take initiative, and monitor and reviewed by
NDRRMC/OCD from integrated FRM point of view.

e) It is necessary to formulate land use management plans including draft Resettlement

Action Plans (RAPs) in the feasibility study or detailed design study stage of the related
structural mitigation measures. The draft RAPs will include security of land tenure,
necessary compensation, setting and development of the resettlement areas (in-city and
in-municipality resettlement as much as possible), and extension services to the resettled
people etc. The formulation of the RAPs shall include a series of workshops for the
people to be resettled and the related stakeholders.

f) After completion of the resettlement in line with the implementation of the structural
measures, land use management in these areas is to be conducted to maintain the areas,
so that houses will not be built in these areas again.

(2) Watershed Conservation and Recovery including Reforestation (High Priority)

(3) On-site and Off-site Retention (High Priority)

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 a) On-site retention as the non-structural mitigation measure is the infiltration of rainfall
runoff at house or building yards.
b) Off-site retention as the structural mitigation measures is the retention of rainwater to
store rainfall runoff.

4.3.3 Preparedness Measures

The proposed preparedness measures for the Master Plan are as follows:

(1) Improvement of EFCOS: Project cost of 400 Million Pesos (Very High Priority).

(2) Installation of New Telemetric Rainfall and Water Level Gauging Stations as well as Radar
Rainfall Gauge for PAGASA: Project cost of 685 Million Pesos (With Very High Priority).

(3) Capacity Building for Strengthening Community-Based Flood Risk Management (Very High
Priority).

(4) Improvement of Management Information System (MIS) for Disaster Risk Management (High
Priority).

4.4 Institutional Improvement for Flood Risk Management

The following are proposed for the improvement of institutional system for FRM:
(1) Amendment of Laws and Regulations for FRM

a) River channels, River Areas and floodplains are to be defined

b) It is proposed to appoint DPWH to be the responsible agency for managing the river
channel and river area for the major rivers and the important rivers.
(2) It is recommended that DPWH will take the main responsibility for structural measures in
Mitigation, LDRRMC/OCD and PAGASA (DOST) for flood information and warning system
in Preparedness, and NDRRMC/OCD for the overall monitoring of FRM.

4.5 Priority Projects (Draft)

Among the short-listed projects, the following are the proposed priority projects:

(1) Structural Mitigation Measures

1) Pasig-Marikina River Improvement with Large Marikina Dam

a) Improvements of the Upper and Upper Upper Marikina River

b) Construction of Marikina Large Dam

c) Re-improvement of Pasig River and Lower Marikina River and improvement of San
Juan River and Napindan Channel

2) West Laguna Lakeshore Land Raising

(2) Non-Structural Mitigation Measures

1) Land Use Management in the Very High and High Flood Risk Areas

2) Watershed Conservation and Recovery including Reforestation

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 (3) Non-structural Preparedness Measures

1) Improvement of EFCOS

2) Installation of New Telemetric Rainfall and Water Level Gauging Stations as well as Radar
Rainfall Gauge for PAGASA

3) Capacity Building for Strengthening Community-Based FRM

4.6 Implementation Program

(1) Priority projects shall be implemented within the 10th year.

(2) Short-listed projects with high priority of mitigation and preparedness measures shall be
implemented within the 15th year.

(3) Other short-listed projects shall be implemented within the 20 th to the 25th year.

(4) Land Use Management and Watershed Conservation and Recovery shall be continued even
after the 25th year.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS

(1) It is recommended to implement the proposed land use management in the very high and high
flood risk areas including resettlement of people to in-city or nearby higher safety places even
immediately from now on.

(2) It is recommended to implement the proposed structural mitigation measures with very high
priority first followed by those with high priority.

(3) It is recommended to implement the improvement of the flood forecasting and warning system
as early as possible.

(4) It is recommended to conduct further studies for the structural mitigation measures for the
small towns and the inflowing rivers to the Laguna Lake Basin.

(5) It is recommended to improve operation and maintenance system for the structural mitigation
measures and flood forecasting and warning system, so that these facilities will function well
at any time especially during the time of flood events.

(6) It is recommended to conduct watershed management including reforestation and management

of land and forest areas in the upstream basins.

(7) It is recommended to conduct recovery and rehabilitation of the existing drainage systems as
well as solid waste management to prevent illegal disposal of garbage, etc., into the drainage
channels.

(8) It is recommended to amend the related laws and regulations for managing the river areas and
the floodplain areas, as well as the improvement of organizational setup for flood risk
management (FRM).

(9) It is recommended to conduct feasibility studies on the proposed priority projects in the next
stage. In the feasibility studies, not only technical aspects, but also social and environmental
aspects shall be studied in detail including discussions with stakeholders such as related
agencies, LGUs, people, Civil Society Organizations and Non-governmental Organizations.

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6. IMAGES FOR FLOOD CONTROL AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Marikina Large Dam

Purpose:
1st: Flood control.
2nd: Supplementary water supply during
dry season by using stored water in the
flood control storage.

Natural Retarding Basin in the Upper Upper Marikina River

** The retarding basin area can be also utilized for agriculture, sports,
recreation and nature reserve etc.

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 West Laguna Lakeshore Land Raising
Zoning of Land Use for Business, Housing and Road etc.