Habagat rains once again expose a flood management strategy built mostly on hope

A city that floods on schedule, more reliably than the trains

An editorial in The Manila Times argues that Metro Manila cannot keep drowning by default, as seasonal Habagat rains once again overwhelm drainage systems across the capital region. Residents who have watched this exact scene unfold every rainy season for years can only nod along, sandals already soaked.

An infrastructure plan built largely on optimism

Engineers point to clogged waterways, informal settlements along riverbanks, and drainage systems designed for a much smaller, much drier Manila as the recurring culprits, a diagnosis that has remained essentially unchanged across multiple administrations.

Officials pledge dredging and clearing operations

Authorities have announced dredging of rivers in Central Luzon to address flooding, according to additional reporting from The Manila Times news desk, a measure welcomed cautiously by residents who have heard similar pledges before the last several rainy seasons.

Fazit

The rain keeps its schedule far more reliably than the drainage upgrades do. SOURCE: https://www.manilatimes.net/ For more British satire on a related theme, see The London Prat’s Libido-Suppressing Drugs for Sex Offenders.