Manila Mayor Criticizes DPWH Over Projects Without Consultation
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has strongly criticized the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for carrying out projects in Manila without prior coordination with the local government. He called this a “bad habit” that leads to ineffective and costly results.
Moreno highlighted the importance of consulting local authorities before implementing projects, especially in a city as complex as Manila. He said the lack of consultation has resulted in dysfunctional infrastructure such as the Sunog Apog pumping station in Tondo.
Problems Arise from Lack of Coordination
“It has become a bad habit, that they think they are national government; they can do whatever they want to do in the local government without even, to the point, telling, asking permission, explaining the purpose of the project,” Moreno said. He stressed that this disregard has caused multiple pumping stations to fail.
The mayor pointed out that the Sunog Apog pumping station, which he recently blamed for flooding in Sampaloc, particularly along España Boulevard, was never properly coordinated with Manila’s local government.
Sunog Apog Pumping Station: A Costly Failure
Moreno revealed that as early as 2023, the DPWH attempted to transfer the management of the Sunog Apog pumping station to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), but the MMDA rejected it because the station was not operational. Despite this, the station remains nonfunctional even after recent storms in 2025.
“It’s still 2023, so the DPWH already knows it’s not working. It’s 2025, there’s a storm, it’s still not working. It hasn’t been fixed,” Moreno lamented. He warned that the government is losing a significant amount of money, now amounting to P774 million, due to such failures.
Calls for Proper Coordination on River Projects
Moreno directly addressed DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, urging him to stop constructing projects without consulting the local government, especially those involving river management.
“There is a Local Water Code. We also have jurisdiction over water. While we recognize MMDA under existing law, the management and supervision of waterways is under them, but when they start building facilities, vertical development, we must be informed as the local government,” Moreno emphasized.
Attempts to contact Secretary Bonoan for comment have not yet been successful, local sources said.
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