Don Bosco School (Salesian Sisters), Inc.

3500 V. Mapa Ext, Santa Mesa, Manila

PAASCU Accredited
MINI PERFORMANCE TASK 2

In partial fulfillment of the requirement

for the subject English for Academic and Professional Purposes

“A Subterranean Flood Control to Avoid the Submerging of Marikina City”

Submitted by:

ORGANO, Alec Zeus T.

SANTOS, Karina Isabel A.

SOBERANO, Mary Nicole P.

CULATA, Iela Laica A.

MEJIA, Molly B.

Submitted to:
Mr. Mark Jozen F. Barnachea
February 17, 2021
 Underground Flood - Control

Introduction
Marikina City, Philippines, is located on a low-altitude estuary and as such is
regularly exposed to flooding and is at risk from sea level rise. Serious flooding usually
occurs from August to November. Most of the floods in the urban region’s low-lying areas
are runoff from the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range that run along the east of
Marikina Valley. The riverbanks of the Marikina River are settlement sites inhabited by
those who could not afford to buy land or property in safer parts of the city.
One of the solutions to avoid flooding is to build underground structures that allow
storage of water while the flow of rain has time to be transported in the sea or rivers. This
underground reservoir is inspired by the Underground Control Tunnel in Japan, that
helped to reduce the risk of flooding in their country. The water is stored in a huge
pressure-controlled tank and will be released in the rivers after.
A creation of this underground reservoir also has the possibility to reduce or
minimize the issue of flooding in Marikina and as well as the nearby cities. This will
eventually minimize the risk of the lives of the people that are most likely to experience
the flooding. This project will help a lot of lives and a lot of homes especially the people
that are living near the Marikina River.

Purpose or Rationale
According to earthnetworks.com, a flood is an overflow of water that submerges
land that is usually dry. In most of the areas in the Philippines, when a typhoon hits them,
heavy floods can occur and be a nuisance to them. With this project, when Marikina (our
area of focus) gets flooded, this underground tunnel will be able to catch all the water,
resulting in heavy floods around the area. The water that will overflow on the Marikina
River will enter the ducts and go through the shafts. The water stored underground can
be used as water reservation during drought and dry season in places and provinces that
have farms, and as reserved supply in the specified city when water scarcity happens.
Just like the world-class underground discharge channel that Japan has built, we want
something for our country that could be of help to prevent accidents when typhoons come
and leave floods.
Project Description
According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration, there are approximately 20 tropical cyclones that enter or form in the
Philippine Area of Responsibility each year. An average of 8 to 9 of it reach the lands.
Numerous typhoons inevitably enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, consequently,
floods in the city are inexorable. This project foresees the following Goals and Objectives:
1. Secured shelter for Filipinos
➢ To wipe out or minimize the impacts of hazards on at risk individuals or
people with special needs.
➢ To minimize and to cease the existence of wastes and wastes pollution in
the area.
➢ To address emergency evacuation needs, prioritizing areas of the
community where mitigation strategies are ineffective.
➢ To train emergency service providers to effectively respond to hazard
events.
2. Reduction of casualties
➢ To maintain and/or upgrade roads, bridges, and other transportation
infrastructure.
➢ To maintain and upgrade utility systems.
➢ To maintain or replace public buildings such as offices, schools, and other
facilities.
➢ To strengthen or relocate critical facilities or create protective spaces or
infrastructure around them so they are not significantly affected by the
effects of hazards.
➢ To minimize the number of properties that are situated in hazard prone
locations.
➢ To protect and preserve vital records, data, information technology
systems, and facility contents.
➢ To safeguard objects or places that have cultural or historical significance.
➢ To preserve ecological functions of natural systems.
➢ To restore natural systems that provide protective measures to surrounding
properties.
 3. Maintain or Strengthen Economy
➢ To develop and maintain efforts to prepare recovery plans.
➢ To protect medical treatment centers, employment centers, commercial
districts, and schools.
➢ To minimize the costs intended for disaster contingencies and allot to other
projects.
➢ To attract local and foreign investors to establish businesses in the area.

Methodologies and Plans to do

Marikina City is regularly exposed to flooding and is at risk from sea level rise.
Marikina has had a long history of problems with flooding. Due to continuous heavy
rainstorm throughout the years, the Marikina river is being monitored to prepare the people
for evacuation. Most of the floods come from the overflow of water from the slopes of the
Sierra Madre mountain range that run along the east of Marikina Valley. The flooding in
Marikina is mostly caused by heavy rainfall from strong monsoons and typhoons. It does
not flood often in Marikina, only when a strong habagat or typhoon hits the land.
Barangays that are usually affected are Nangka, Tumana, Malanday, Tañong, and Sta.
Elena. The critical level of the Marikina River is 18 meters which calls for forced
evacuation. The flood level depends on the level of the river. On normal rainy days, the
flood level does not rise that high; but when strong typhoons hit the city of Marikina, the
flood is beyond the height of a person and worse, reaches up until the top of the roof.

1970’s - First flood event in Marikina was first documented.

September 2009 - Due to Typhoon Ondoy, 450,000 inhabitants had been displaced, with
at last 380,000 forced into makeshift shelters; 246 people were reported dead.
September 2011 - The water level of Marikina river had reached 20.1 meters during the
Typhoon Pedring.
August 2012 - The river reached a height of 20.6 meters, with a flood level of 16 meters.
November 2020 - The highest water level of Marikina reached up to 22 meters when
Typhoon Ulysses hit the Philippines.
Here are some methods we think to make it possible:

➢ Dig tunnels beside each river and create ducts that will serve as the passage of
overflowing water to the shafts.
➢ Build 3 or more shafts or silos (50m high x 25m diameter) 50 m below the ground
moving to the places towards the sea.
➢ Build a tunnel or reservoir (9m diameter) as the base and connection of all the
shafts.
➢ Build a storage tank (200m long x 100m wide x 25m high) with 66 massive pillars.
➢ Build modified jet engine turbine pumps that will pump a specific amount in tons of
water (depending on the number of turbines) to the sea.
➢ Set garbage nets to the river to collect the possible garbage floating above or even
underneath the river.
➢ Build a discharge pump station that will control the underground flood control
system when and what amounts of water to discharge.

It would be a strenuous project to carry through for there are a lot of risks and
hazards to deal with. Risks and hazards such as earthquakes that can shatter the whole
operation and the casualties above it and can eliminate lives from above and below, and
floods can enter underground during heavy rains. The project cost approximately 300 to
400 billion pesos and would take 15 to 20 continuous years to attain.
In building the underground flood system, we plan to build it one by one and slowly.
One by one, we will build each shaft and the tunnels that will connect to another place
where another shaft will be posted or will be built until we reach the place where the
storage tank and the modified jet engine turbine pump will be built. This is to lessen the
risks that will be imposed to the workers underground and the city above it.
When the shafts are built, it will not only function as underground flood control, but
it will also serve as a water storage during summer and hot weathers. The shafts will also
serve as a pillar underground that will prevent the city from collapsing, especially during
earthquakes.
Since we can manipulate the flow of water and the amount we will discharge, the
people in Marikina City and its neighboring cities would be at ease. Considering the visible
effects of this project, the dangers they sense when the flood is already surrounding them
 before, would totally reduce the distress they will feel. In that way, we can truly achieve
our goals - secured homes, less casualties, and secured economy.

Support or Budget

The Department of Public Works and Highways Sec. Rogelio Singson released
their masterplan for Metro Manila at the Flood Summit House of Representatives 2014.
According to their budgeting, the flood control masterplan to the whole Metro Manila will
cost Php 351B, including all the eleven structural mitigation measurements.

Summary
Overall, Marikina City is prone to floods due to the runoff from the slopes of the
Sierra Madre range that run along the east of Marikina Valley. This concept paper signifies
that with the fulfillment of this underground tunnel, we will be able to deduce the flooding
in the areas of Marikina. The water which will be stored underground will be used during
El Niño. This project will help a lot of people especially those that are leaving near the
Marikina River. It will reduce the risk of flooding not just in Marikina but also the nearby
cities.
Contact Information

Alec Zeus Organo

Head Manager
organoaleczeus@gmail.com
0961 303 7651

Molly Mejia
Head Marketing and Research Department
mejiamolly25@gmail.com
0995 017 8020

Iela Laica Culata

ielaculata10@gmail.com
0915 132 3248

Mary Nicole Soberano

Head of Finance and Production Department
nikki.soberano18@gmail.com
0939 814 1857

Karina Isabel Santos

karina.isabellie00@gmail.com
0927 586 4619
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%20and%20property.&text=Manage%20land%20uses%20in%20hazardous,creation%20of
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https://www.earthnetworks.com/flooding/#:~:text=A%20flood%20is%20an%20overflow,of%
20water%20to%20several%20feet.

http://bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/learnings/faqs-and-trivias

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Bandila TV Program

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