FLOODING in Cainta is expected to be reduced by more than 45 percent once the proposed drainage interceptor project along Marcos Highway is completed, with construction expected to begin this month.
Cainta Mayor Kit Nieto said the project, being undertaken by the national government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), will serve as a “new highway for floodwater,” preventing excess water from overflowing into creeks and residential areas inside subdivisions.
“Instead of water passing through narrow creeks inside communities, it will be diverted directly to the drainage interceptor along the highway and eventually discharged into the Marikina River. It will be like an expressway for water—it will no longer have to squeeze through the inner areas,” Nieto explained.
The mayor said Cainta’s location in a valley makes the town particularly vulnerable to flooding as water from elevated areas such as Antipolo, Marikina, and Sumulong Highway flows toward the Balanti and Halang creeks.
As a result, several subdivisions, including Filinvest, Vista Verde, Green Park, Karangalan, Country Homes, Village East, Gruar, and Kasibulan, frequently experience flooding.
According to a report received by Nieto, the interceptor project has already been put out for bidding, with construction of Phases 1 and 2 expected to take two years under the supervision of MMDA Chairman Don Artes.
While waiting for the project’s completion, Nieto said the simultaneous operation of five booster pumps in different parts of Cainta has significantly helped manage flooding.
The mayor compared the booster pumps to an airport “walkalator,” saying they accelerate the movement of floodwater toward designated outfalls at a rate of 1.5 to 2 cubic meters per second.
Speaking to the PaMaMariSan-Rizal Press Corps, Nieto explained that running all five pumps simultaneously for the first time works like connected train stations, accelerating water drainage and preventing stagnation.
“This is the first time we have operated all five pumps simultaneously. They work together like a series of train stations, allowing us to discharge water faster and prevent it from stagnating,” Nieto said.
The mayor said the combination of the booster pumps and the planned drainage interceptor is expected to improve the town’s capacity to manage floodwaters, particularly during periods of heavy rain.
