UP-PGH flood project construction speeds up
By William B. Depasupil | October 6, 2026
CONSTRUCTION of a long-delayed flood mitigation project at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) in Manila has speeded up, from just 2 percent to 30 percent in three months as the Marcos administration moves to address the hospital’s recurring flooding problem.
The project involves the repair of drainage facilities and improvement of inlets within the UP-PGH complex, which gets flooded easily during heavy and prolonged rains.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the project expedited, citing the need to protect patients, hospital personnel, and other people who rely on the country’s premier public hospital.
During the inspection of the project with UP-PGH Medical Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, Dizon said the drainage and inlet improvements will be completed by early next year.
Flooding at UP-PGH has long posed problems not only for patients but also for doctors and other hospital staff who must continue providing medical services even during severe weather.
For patients, flooding can make movement around the sprawling complex difficult, particularly for those who are elderly, sick or physically challenged.
The UP-PGH project is part of the administration’s broader push to improve flood mitigation infrastructure in Metro Manila, where intense rainfall can quickly overwhelm drainage systems and cause widespread flooding.
The DPWH has been pursuing drainage, pumping, and other flood-control interventions in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila.
Source: The Manila Times