The Quezon City local government has launched the “Tanggal Bara, Iwas Baha” Program, tapping the city’s 142 barangays to augment the flood mitigation efforts of both the city and national governments.

The program prioritizes the clean-up of clogged drainage systems, sewers, street inlets, manholes, and interceptors across various barangays.

Regular maintenance of drainage systems, especially in flood-prone areas such as Del Monte, Masambong, Bagong Silangan, Dona Imelda, Roxas, Tatalon, and Apolonio Samson is key to mitigating rainwater overflow and reducing flooding in city streets.

These barangays have been particularly affected by past weather disturbances, including the heavy rains from Habagat and Typhoon Carina. The “Tanggal Bara, Iwas Baha” program aims to accelerate the receding of floodwaters despite the increasing volume of rain due to climate change.

The program is a collaboration among several city departments, including the Quezon City Department of Engineering (QCDE), the Barangay and Community Relations Department (BCRD), the Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department (CCESD), and the Department of Sanitation and Cleanup Works of Quezon City (DSQC).

Based on data from the Engineering Department, from January to September 2024, the city has conducted 647 de-clogging operations. The sludge collected through these efforts was enough to fill 50 garbage trucks.

Since 2023, the City has implemented 61 flood control projects consisting of road and drainage projects and waterways infrastructure.

The QCDE also implements green engineering initiatives through 224 rainwater harvesting systems and the proposal of 148 flood water detention basins. Moreover, the city is currently upgrading its drainage system in accordance with the QC Comprehensive Drainage Master Plan, developed in partnership with the University of the Philippines – Resilience Institute. This plan includes modernizing the current city’s drainage systems to address the growing challenges posed by more extreme weather conditions and worsening flood issues.