See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/296701248

2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila

Technical Report · May 2011

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2817.5121

CITATIONS READS

0 3,999

2 authors, including:

Tadashi Nakasu
Chulalongkorn University
32 PUBLICATIONS   25 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Research on Disaster Resilience in an Aging Society View project

Natech Symposium on "Natech Risk Reduction at Large Industrial Parks" View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Tadashi Nakasu on 04 March 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila

Teruko SATO* and Tadashi NAKASU**

*
Visiting Researcher, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention,
*
Tokiwa University, Japan
**
International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHARM), Japan

Abstract

From September 25 – 26, 2009, Typhoon #16 (Ondoy) struck southwest Luzon in the Philippines. Flood disasters
caused by this heavy rainfall affected 872,097 people throughout the entire metropolitan area, causing 241
fatalities, 394 injuries, and damaging 65,521 buildings (of which 12,563 were completely destroyed). Infrastructure
damages (not including agricultural losses) amounted to 570,187,587 Philippine pesos (NDCC, 2009a).
We investigated the great urban flood disaster that occurred in the megacities of the developing country, which are
expected to grow to a population of 25 million by 2015. The conditions caused by runoff, flooding, and damages
as well as mitigation measures relating to the hydrological conditions, land environments, and social economic
conditions in the Philippines are reported based on field investigations and interviews with related parties.

Key words: 2009 Typhoon Ondoy, Urban flood, Metro Manila, Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake Complex

1. Introduction In this chapter, we discuss the flood disasters that occurred

From September 25 – 26, 2009, Typhoon #16 (Ondoy) in the Manila Metropolitan Area (Metro Manila), which is
struck the southwest Luzon in the Philippines, causing a major region in the developing country and one of south-
torrential rainfall. Within 24 hours, 455.0 mm of rain fell at east Asia’s most prominent overpopulated centers with a
the Quezon City Science Garden, 258.5 mm fell at the Port population of 11.6 million according to the 2007 Census of
Area, and 331.8 mm fell in the municipality of Tanay in Population, of which population growth rate is 2.12.
neighboring Rizal province. The amount of precipitation at
the Science Garden reached levels expected only once per 2. Surveyed Area
century or more (for rainfall in a 24-hour period) or once As Fig. 1 shows, Metro Manila comprises 16 cities and
every 150 years or more (for rainfall in a 12-hour period), the municipality of Pateros, all of which lie within the Pasig-
and the 92 mm of rain that fell between 11 a.m. and noon was Marikina-Laguna Lake Complex (catchment area: 4,678 km2)
of a level expected only once every 5 – 10 years (PAGASA, except for parts of the north and the southernmost tip which
2009). lie along Manila Bay (Fig. 2). This chapter concerns the flood
This heavy rainfall affected 872,097 people throughout disasters that took place in this river basin.
the entire metropolitan area, causing 241 fatalities, 394
injuries, and damaging 65,521 buildings (of which 12,563 3. River systems and flood-prone areas
were completely destroyed). The infrastructure damages 3.1 River Systems
(not including agricultural losses) amounted to 570,187,587 As its name suggests, the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake
Philippine pesos (NDCC, 2009a; NDCC, 2009b). Other Complex consists of two rivers and one lake. One of these
such losses were caused by traffic coming to a standstill is the Marikina River, which has a catchment area of 516.50
due to major city center thoroughfares such as Epifanio de km2 (at the Napindan junction) and flows out from the Sierra
los Santos Avenue being cut off by flood water and by the Madre mountain range in the east part of the river basin.
cancellation of domestic and international flights at Manila The Marikina River meanders its way southwards along the
airport (Manila Shimbun, 27 Sept.). Marikina River flood plain, and floodwater is diverted into the

* Miwa 1-430-1, Mito, Ibaraki, 310-8585, Japan

** Minamihara 1-6, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8516, Japan
－ 63 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Manggahan floodway from the Rosario weir

in the left bank, where the Upper Marikina
River becomes the Lower Marikina River.
The Lower Marikina continues southwards,
and at Napindan junction it is joined by the
Pasig River that flows north from Laguna de
Bay (Laguna Lake).
The Pasig River is the only river that
flows out from Laguna Lake. The Napindan
channel flows north from the north coast of
Laguna Lake, and where it joins the Marikina
River, it starts to flow northwest across the
central plateau and into the coastal lowland
alongside Manila Bay and then out into the
bay near the old city district at the center of
the lowland area. The Pasig River is joined by
the San Juan River as a right tributary, which
has the central plateau as its river basin.
With an area of 900 km2, Laguna Lake is
the largest lake in the Philippines, occupying
a large region extending from the central to
southern parts of the river basin. The lake
has a catchment area of 3,820 km2, which is
about 80 % of the total catchment area. This
wide and shallow lake temporarily stores
the water flowing from at least 20 tributary
river basins, and during floods it functions as
a retarding reservoir for the Marikina River. Fig. 1 Map of Metro Manila (MMDA, 2009).
Water levels fluctuate from 10.5 m elevations in the summer
months to 12.5 m in the rainy seasons. The annual mean is an lowland areas alongside the Pasig and San Juan Rivers where
11.32 m elevation (Edgardo C. Manda, 2008). When the sea they cut across the central plateau.
level in Manila Bay is higher than the water level in the lake,
the water flows backwards from the sea into the lake. In these flood plains, even floods with an estimated
3.2 Flood-prone areas frequency of once every 2 – 10 years (shown in yellow) are
The flood-prone areas in the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake liable to cover a substantial part of these areas, while floods
Complex can be divided into the following four flood plains with an estimated frequency of once every 50 – 100 years
as depicted in the flood hazard map in Fig. 3: (blue) are liable to cause flood damage over the entire flood
1) Coastal lowlands alongside Manila Bay: Land with an plain (Fig. 3).
altitude of 3 meters or less next to Manila Bay and down the
Pasig River. This lies at the center of Metro Manila. 4. Locality of flood disasters
2) Marikina flood plain: Alluvial lowland with an altitude The flooding of Metro Manila varies according to the
of 5 – 30 m along the Marikina River, which is being hydrological conditions and land environments of the flood
developed to the north and south at the western end of the plain and river basins. Table 1 shows the characteristics of
river basin. It is bounded to the west by the central plateau flooding and flood damage in Metro Manila and how the
that lies between the Manila Bay coastline and the coastal flood inundation and damage varied between the four flood
lowland and to the east by the Sierra Madre mountain range plains. Inner water inundation may have also occurred in the
from where the Marikina River originates. river basins where there was severe external overflow, but this
3) Laguna Lake Plain: The Marikina flood plain continues figure charts the inundation phenomena that caused most of
on into the Laguna Lake Plain. This is a marshy plain with an the damage. Furthermore, administrative districts sometimes
altitude of just a few meters, where it is affected by the rise of cross over multiple topological zones and were therefore
the water level of Laguna Lake. divided into their main topological areas.
4) Valley plains cutting through the central plateau: Narrow As a result, the flooding of Metro Manila can be divided

－ 64 －
 2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila － T. SATO and T. NAKASU

Fig. 2 Maps of the Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Lake Complex (NAMRIA Geographical Map 1:250,000)
R: Rosario weir, N: Napindan Janction.

into regions where increased damage was mainly caused m in 3 h. The large depth of flood water combined with the
by external flooding and into regions where it was mainly sharp increase in water level resulted in a severe inundation
caused by inner flooding. The Marikina flood plain and that spread across the entire flood plain (Figs. 4 and 5).
San Juan valley plain can be placed in the former category Flood water depths of 7 m were recorded in some places
and the Laguna Lake Plain and coastal lowlands along the although the flooding was short-lived (JICA, 2009; ADB,
Manila Bay coast can be placed in the latter, which can also 2009; P.B.GATAN, 2009). The flood caused damage on a
be subdivided into the coastal lowlands, which experienced a large scale (Photos 1, 2, 3, and 4), affecting many people
short flooding duration, and the Laguna Lake Plain, where the and causing 121 deaths (half the total for Metro Manila). The
flooding persisted for more than two weeks. flood plain lies mostly in Marikina City, but part of it extends
4.1 Marikina flood plain upstream into Quezon City. In Marikina City alone, there
In the Marikina flood plain, where damage was mainly were approximately 180,000 people affected by the flooding.
caused by external flooding, overflow well in excess of Other problems included a high incidence of infectious
twice the river channel discharge capacity occurred, and disease and environmental damage caused by the runoff of
the water level in the river rose rapidly by approximately 3 pollutants from small and medium scale factories in the river

－ 65 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Fig. 3 Flood hazard map of Metro Manila (MGB, 2009).

basin. River. Also, since the flooded region of the valley plain is
4.2 Valley plain along the San Juan River limited, this area is generally prone to more severe flooding
In the valley plain along the San Juan River (Photo 5), with a greater depth of inundation (Fig. 6). Maps show that
where damage was caused mainly by external flooding, there the inundation area expanded to the upper reaches of the plain.
was external flooding from a flash flood from small and This area suffered the second highest level of destruction
medium-sized rivers descending from an altitude of 95 to 3 behind the Marikina flood plain, and there were 111 fatalities.
m. At the Quezon City Science Garden inside the river basin, The number of people affected in this river basin (which
precipitation rates of 92 mm in 1 h and 455.0 mm in 24 h includes the cities of Quezon, San Juan, and Mandaluyong)
were observed, showing that this river basin was inflicted by reached 135,000.
a torrential downpour. Since the catchment area is only about 4.3 Coastal lowland adjacent to Manila Bay
one fifth the size of the Marikina River’s catchment area, it is The coastal lowland adjacent to Manila Bay was affected
expected that flooding began earlier here than in the Marikina mainly by inner flooding. This is a low-lying and poorly

－ 66 －
 2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila － T. SATO and T. NAKASU

Table 1 Conditions of flood disasters caused by Typhoon Ondoy in Metro Manila in relation to landforms.
Flooding Damage

Related Completely Economic

Landforms Predominant Affected
Water Type
Period Depth Cities Dead Destroyed Loss
Population
Bodies House 䠄Infrastruncture)

within up to Marikina city 178,985 73 1,083 39,639,300

Marikina Floodthree the 2nd Quezon city
Marikina R. 48
Plain days floor Sub total 121
Southern Part of Metro Manila
Pasig-Marikina-Laguna Basin

Outer
Quezon city 113,420 57 140 58,285,016
Flooding up to
Valley Plain San Juan within San Juan city 2,234 3 0 24,720,000
䠄Central Plataeu) the
R. 1day Mandaluyong city 19,660 3 1 6,999,370
head
Sub total 135,314 63
Manila䚷city 5,790 9 0 14,521,714
Coastal Passig R., up to
within Makati city 3,395 7 0 409,490
Lowland Urban the
1week Pasay city 8,537 0 0 9,524,500
(South Part) Draingage chest
Sub total 17,722 16
Inner
Lauguna pasig city 127,110 23 499 37,308,780
Flooding
Lake, Passig up to Pateros 32,320 0 0 0
Laguna Lake R., Mangahan over 2
the Taguig city 132,630 0 48 10,139,500
Plain Flood Way, weeks
head Mantinlupa city 111,850 3 3,839 16,550,500
Taguig R. Sub total 403,910 26 4,386
Malabon city 9,851 1 159 20,354,400
North Part

Nvotas city 194 0 6,748 0

-
Other Basins

Coastal Lowland - - -
Caloocan city 89,450 3 0 7,195,896
(Sub total) 99,495 4
Central Plataeu - - - - Valenzuela city 8,091 8 35 6,117,375
Farthest

Paranaque city 2,250 2 8 38,525,642

South

Coastal Lowland - - - - Las Pinas city 26,330 1 3 25,658,550

(Sub total) 28,580 3
Unclassified Economic Loss 254,232,534
Total of Metro Manila 872,097 241 12,563 570,182,587
Dead in the Quezon City is devided into 2 according to the landforms.
Flooding period refferred from JICA (2009) & Manila News Paper.
Damage reffered from NDCC㻌Report㻌No.42.

Flood Water Level (m)

0.00 - 0.23
0.24 - 0.46 Fig. 4 Inundation depth by Typhoon Fig. 5 Maximum inundation
0.47 - 0.92
0.93 - 1.62
Ondoy in Marikina River flood depth in Marikina flood
1.63 - 2.08 plain (NAMRIA, 2009). plain (Google, 2009).
2.09 - 3.23
3.24 - 6.00
(Interpotation Method:
Inverse Distance Weight (IDW))
－ 67 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Fig. 7 Geographical map of the low land along Manila Bay

(JICA, 2004).

Fig. 6 Maximum inundation

depth by 2009’s
Typhoon Ondoy in San
Juan River flood plain
(Google, 2009).

drained land environment with an elevation of 3 m or less

(Fig. 7). Here, the Pasig River was partly overflowed, but it
was possible to continue operating the pumps that expel inner
water from lowland areas. However, in the lowland areas,
it was not possible for the heavy rainfall to drain away, and Fig. 8 Maximum inundation
depth by 2009’s
inner water inundation occurred (Fig. 8). The inundation
Typhoon Ondoy in the
depth was deep enough to reach up to one’s head, but flooding
Laguna Lake Plain
was fairly short-lived (from half a day to a few days). As a (Google, 2009).
result, the number of people affected in the coastal lowland
was only about 2 % of the total for Metro Manila as a whole,
and there were only 19 fatalities in this area (Photos 6 and 7).
The Pasig River, flowing through the central areas of

－ 68 －
 2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila － T. SATO and T. NAKASU

Flood Water Level (m)

0.00 - 0.23
Fig. 9 Inundation depth in Fig. 10 Maximum inundation
0.24 - 0.46
Laguna Lake Plain 0.47 - 0.92 depth in the Laguna Lake
(NAMRIA, 2009). 0.93 - 1.62 Plain (Google, 2009).
1.63 - 2.08
2.09 - 3.23
3.24 - 6.00
(Interpotation Method:
Inverse Distance Weight (IDW))

Metro Manila, was spared from flooding due to the flooding in the whole metropolitan area, reaching 400,000 people, or
of the Marikina River further upstream and due to the fact 45 % of the total. However, there were 26 fatalities in this
that the floodwater was diverted into Laguna Lake from the region, which is about one fifth that of the Marikina flood
Manggahan Floodway and Napindan channel so that the plain.
flood discharge of the Pasig River was kept down to 600 m3/
sec, which is just about within the river channel discharge 5. Society’s resilience to flood disasters
capacity (500 – 600 m3/sec) (MMDA, 2009; P. B. GATAN, 5.1 Reducing the flooding
2009). In the city drainage channel, where drainage capacity (1) Flood control facilities
has decreased to the point where it can only cope with rainfall The key component of Metro Manila’s flood control is
levels estimated to occur once every 2 – 5 years, it was not the Manggahan Floodway (Photos 10 and 11), which has
possible to protect the city from the inner flooding caused by a drainage capacity of 2,400 m3/sec and is designed for a
the heavy rainfall of Typhoon Ondoy. once-per-century flood discharge. By diverting 70 % of the
4.4 The Laguna Lake Plain Marikina River flood discharge into Laguna Lake from the
The Laguna Lake Plain was affected mainly by inner Rosario weir to reduce the flood discharge that continues
flooding and remained flooded for a long period of time (Figs. downstream to the Pasig River, it is possible to reduce the
9 and 10). It is a low-lying marshy area with an elevation of flood inundation of the Pasig River flowing through the
just a few meters that was affected by the increased water city center. When Typhoon Ondoy struck, flood water was
level of Laguna Lake and was deeply flooded, with regions diverted from the Marikina River into Laguna Lake at a rate
close to the lake shoreline remaining submerged for more of 3,000 m3/sec, and only a partial external overflow occurred
than a month (Photos 8 and 9). Although the flood inundation in the Pasig River, so it was possible to continue operating
was not as severe as that in the Marikina flood plain, the flood the inner water drainage pumps (MMDA, 2009; P.B.GATAN,
water rose to a considerable depth, and the prolonged flood 2009) .
inundation resulted in the greatest number of affected people The Pasig and Marikina Rivers are designed to withstand a

－ 69 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Fig. 11 Illegal settlements in the city drainage channels (Jica, 2005).

once-in-30-years flood (Marikina River: 2,600 – 2,900 m3/sec to construct a 9.5 km coastal bank along the lake, 8 weirs,
; Pasig River: 500 – 600 m3/sec in the middle section and and 4 drainage pump stations (MMDA, 2009; P.B. GATAN,
1200 m3/sec in the lower reaches), but the designed discharge 2009). These inner water drainage facilities helped to reduce
capacity is actually achieved only in the middle section of the the flooding duration of the inner water inundation caused by
Pasig River. The drainage of the other areas is incomplete. Typhoon Ondoy (JICA, 2009).
For example, the current discharge capacity of the Marikina (2) Maintenance of flood control systems
River is 1,500 – 1,800 m3/sec, which is smaller than the While flood control maintenance is continuing, various
design scale. problems have arisen such as the reducing functionality
To protect the regions that open out onto the Laguna Lake of flood control facilities. Drainage performance is being
Plain to the west of the Manggahan Floodway (the cities of impaired due to the disposal of garbage (Photos 12 and 13)
Taguig, Pateros, and Pasig) from becoming inundated due to and construction of shanty towns in drainage channels. Fig.11
a rise in the water level of Laguna Lake, work is under way shows that the ratio by area of illegal settlements in the city

－ 70 －
 2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila － T. SATO and T. NAKASU

drainage channels is high (JICA, 2005). As a result, in the Furthermore, there are many places in the flood plains
city drainage channels, where the drainage capacity has where flood water is not adequately drained away. This
decreased to the point where it can only cope with rainfall results in water being retained for long periods of time,
levels estimated to occur once every 2 – 5 years (JICA, causing environmental contamination that has an adverse
2005), it was not possible to protect the city from the heavy effect on living conditions and can lead to major outbreaks
rainfall caused by Typhoon Ondoy. In the same way, shanty of infectious disease after a flood disaster has struck. After
towns narrow the width of the Manggahan Floodway. Typhoon Ondoy, an outbreak of Leptospirosis caused 178
(3) Development of the river basin has increased flood fatalities in the Metro Manila area (NDCC, 2009a).
discharge (4) Flood water contamination
The changing patterns of land use associated with The flood water accelerated water contamination by
haphazard development are changing the scale of floods. washing out pollutants from small and medium-scale factories
For example, in the city center district that is developing in in the river basin into the Marikina River and Laguna Lake
the low-lying areas along the Manila bay, urban discharge (UNEP/OCHA, 2009).
channels for discharging inner water were constructed every
ten years, having a coefficient of discharge of 0.4 – 0.5. 6. Conclusions
An increase of the coefficient of discharge up to 0.95 has The Typhoon Ondoy flood disasters of 2009 occurred in the
decreased the degree of the safety of the drainage system Metro Manila region, which has a growing population of over
(JICA, 2005). In the Marikina River Basin, a decrease 11.6 million in a developing country, that has the following
in forests by slash-and-burn farming, illegal harvesting, characteristics:
disorderly cultivation, the bulldozing of livestock farms, and 1) The flood control plan to protect the population of 11.6
the development of housing areas have been increasing flood million people from floods is to cope with a once-in-30- years
discharge (JICA, 1994). flood. The flood control facilities are still under construction,
To mitigate flood disaster risks, maintaining flood control and these differences in the state of development were one
facilities and managing land usage are requisites. of factors behind the differences of flooding in the four flood
5.2 Development of flood plain and damage potential plains of Metro Manila, along with hydrological conditions
(1) Development and an increase in damage potential and land environments of the flood plain and river basins.
A common problem of rice-growing areas in the Asian In the flood plains of the San Juan Rivers and the Marikina
monsoon region is that urbanization driven by population River where the discharge capacity of the river channel
growth can lead to building development on low-lying flood does not meet the design scale, a severe large-scale external
plains that are used for rice paddy fields and such, resulting flooding occurred and caused many deaths. In the Laguna
in a greater potential for loss in the event of a flood disaster. Lake Plain and the Coastal Lowlands of central Metro
Metro Manila is no exception. Manila, parts of the external overflow remained behind, with
For example, half a century ago (around 1966), the inner flooding becoming the main inundation cause, and the
residential areas in the low-lying Laguna Lake Plain were inundation was not as severe as in the flood plains where
confined to the natural levee and a high coastal terrace external flooding was prominent. The Manggahan Floodway
(4 – 7 m above sea level), but gradually they have encroached especially played an important role in protecting the central
into lower-lying areas while filling in the poorly-drained back part of Metro Manila from severe external flooding by
marshes, and development has now reached as far as the delta reducing the flood discharge of the Pasig River.
on the shores of the lake. The change in landscape brought 2) After flooding, an outbreak of infectious diseases was
about by filling in these marshes has also created an artificial caused by the floodwater standing for long periods of time,
flood-prone basin and changed the spatial distribution of largely affecting humans. To reduce human damage in Metro
flooding, which has affected the hazard situation (Hara et al., Manila, it is important to take actions to steadily reduce this
2002). sort of damage.
(2) Illegal settlements and an increase in damage potential 3) In Metro Manila, flood risks continue to increase. As
Another factor behind the increased damage potential is the the population grows, the river basin is further developed.
growth of illegal settlements. For example, in the Manggahan This brings about changes in the flood runoff and inundation
Floodway, buildings have been erected in places such as characteristics, increases the potential for damage, and
floodwater channels that have an extremely high risk of reduces the functioning of flood control facilities due to
flood damage, thus giving rise to a larger number of disaster illegal settlements and the dumping of refuse into channels.
victims. At the margin of Laguna Lake, which is vulnerable Also, the illegal dwellings of poor inhabitants encroach
to rising water levels, many people living there were injured. into river zones and lakeshores vulnerable to water related
(3) Infectious disease and an increase of death hazards, thus increasing the number of people affected by

－ 71 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Table 2 Flood Control Projects in Metro Manila by Foreign Assisted Projects (P.B. Gatan, 2009).
1 Mangahan Floodway Project (Yen Loan, completed in 1988)
2 Effective Flood Control Operation and Warning System Project (EFCOS: 10th Yen Loan, completed in 1992)
The Project for Rehabilitation of Flood Control Operation and Warning System (EFCOS) in Metro Manila (Japanese Grant, completed in
December 2001)
3 Metro Manila Flood Control Project – West of Mangahan Floodway (21st Yen Loan, completed in August 2007)
4 KAMANAVA Area Flood Control and Drainage System Improvement Project (Special Yen Loan, construction to be completed in 2009)
5 Pasig-Marikina River Channel Improvement Project (26th Yen STEP Loan, construction of Phase I started in September 2009)
6 Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan Area Drainage System Improvement and Related Works Project (Requested for Yen Loan)
7 Integrated Drainage Improvement Project in Ninoy Aquino International Airport and its Vicinity (Study was completed in March 2004: JETRO)
8 Drainage Improvement in the Core Area of Metropolitan Manila (Study was completed in March 2005: JICA)
East Mangahan Floodway Area Flood Mitigation Project (Study was completed in June 2007 and to be requested for implementation to JICA)
9 San Juan River Flood Control Project (Feasibility Study was completed in 2002: JICA)
10 Upper Marikina River Channel Improvement Project (Feasibility study was completed in 2002: JICA)
・1980~1983: Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure:
・1974~1997: Manila Drainage System Improvement
・2000~2007: Drainage pumping stations (15), flood gates, drainage channel improvement
West of Mangahan Floodway
・2002~2009: Lake dike (9.4 km), drainage pumping stations (7), Napindan river channel dike/parapet wall (6.1 km), Floodgates (8), Drainage
channel improvement
11 KAMANAVA Area Flood Control and Drainage System Improvement project
・1978, 1992, 2000~2002: Ring dike (8.6 km), Drainage pumping stations (5), EFCOS Project
・2009~　　: Pasig-Marikina river improvement

flooding. comprehensive measures targeting whole river basins

To reduce flood risk, it is necessary to make an effort to and whole components of flood risk. For example, hazard
find a solution to these complex issues with transdisciplinary control measures in flood plains by local people, land use
cooperation, involving a variety of social, economic, and management for reducing damage potential in flood plains,
governmental factors and researchers. and the decrease of flood runoff from flood plains, etc. In
4) In interviews on the 2009 Ondoy Flood with addition, comprehensive measures need the cooperation of
governmental bodies and other such organizations, we were various concerned bodies including social scientists.
told about the importance of working to improve the ability
of communities to mitigate disasters and about the activities Japan has contributed to the improvement of flood control
of disaster relief volunteers. We hope that these movements in Metro Manila (Table 2). Through many experiences,
become more active in introducing a more diverse and wider Japan has accumulated a considerable amount of knowledge
range of human resources. on the characteristics of flooding, land environments, social
5) Improving flood control structures is essential for structures, and so on. When taking the next step forward
reducing the flood risk in Metro Manila, but it is difficult to in mitigating the flood risk of Metro Manila from a new
reduce damage solely by flood control facilities. To reduce perspective, we expect that Japan’s experiences will be
the flood risk of this region, it is also necessary to institute useful.

Photo 1 & 2 Provident village damaged by flooding (Courtesy of the PNRC-Rizal, 2009).

－ 72 －
 2009 Typhoon Ondoy Flood Disasters in Metro Manila － T. SATO and T. NAKASU

Photo 3 & 4 Provident village damaged by flooding (Courtesy of the PNRC-Rizal, 2009).

Photo 5 Floodwall along San Juan River.

Photo 6 & 7 Inner flooding in Makati City (taken by Kazutami Shiga).

Photo 8 & 9 Flooding along Laguna Lake on Nov. 30, 2009 in Taguig City.

－ 73 －
 Natural Disaster Research Report of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, No. 45 ; February, 2011

Photo 10 Manggahan Floodway Photo 11 Rosario weir at the Manggahan Floodway

(Courtesy of the MMDA, 2009). (Courtesy of the MMDA, 2009).

Photo 12 & 13 Dredging urban drainage channels in Metro Manila (Courtesy of the MMDA, 2009).

References JICA staff in Dec. 2009.

111 ADB (2009) : Information obtained by the interview with 999 MMDA (2009): Information obtained by the interview
ADB staff in Dec. 2009. with MMDA staff in Dec. 2009.
222 Y. Hara, S. haruyama, S. Okubo, and K.takeuchi (2002): 1111 MGB (2009): Flood Hazard Map in Metro Manila.
Flood hazard response to the urbanized bank up areas of 1111 Manila Shinbun (2009): Sept. 2009 ～ Nov. 2009.
Laguna Lacustrine Plain, Metro-Manila. Proceedings of 1111 NDCC (2009a): National Disaster Coordinating Council
Rural Planning, Vol.4, 19-24. Situation Report No.1 ～ Final Report.
333 Edgardo C.Manda, Laguna Lake Development Authority 1111 NDCC (2009b): Information obtained by the interview
(2008) The case of the Lauguna de Bay basin in the with NDCC staff in Dec. 2009.
Phillippines, Water and Climete Change Adaption in 1111 PAGASA (2009): Information obtained by the interview
Asian River Basins, 1-5 Dec. 2008, Malaysia. with PAGASA staff in Dec. 2009 at NDCC.
444 Google (2009) : Typhoon Ondoy Maximum Flood 1111 NAMRIA (2009): Flooded Area in eastern Metro Manila
Height. (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid ts “Ondoy” 26 September, 2009 (1:15,000).
=115956470311312588880.000474a230d17e01a3021&i 1111 NAMRIA Geographical Maps (1:250,000).
e=UT F8&z=13) 1111 P. B. GATAN, Department of Public Works and
555 JICA (1994): Developing plan of the Marikina water Highways (2009): Presentation at at ADB Short Seminar
sourse forest in the Phillipine (Final Report), in Japanese. “Water for all: Learning from the Ondoy flood: A
666 JICA (2004): Earthquake Mitigation Planing Research in Dialogue with Experts” held on 14 Oct. 2009, Asian
Metro Manila, Phillipine (Final Report), Vol.7. Development Bank.
777 JICA (2005) : Urban drainage improving plan in the 1111 UNEP/OCHA(2009): Environmental Assessment:
center of the Metro Manila. Phillipine (Final Report) Philippines-Tropical Storm Ketsana 8-20 Octorber 2009,
abridged edition, 97pp． 19pp.
888 JICA (2009): Information obtained by the interview with （Accepted: November 25, 2010）

－ 74 －

View publication stats