Metro Manila and Central Luzon face sinking land and worsening floods

Metro Manila and Central Luzon are facing an escalating flood crisis driven by rapid land subsidence. In some areas, the ground is sinking at rates exceeding 100 millimeters per year, which is significantly faster than the 1 to 3 millimeters of annual global sea-level rise. This geological collapse is primarily attributed to unsustainable groundwater extraction for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use.

Senator Loren Legarda has called for stronger action and a re-examination of flood prevention policies, noting that communities previously unaffected by flooding are now experiencing frequent inundation. Legarda emphasized that infrastructure like drainage and pumping stations must be paired with the protection of natural waterways and the rehabilitation of watersheds, wetlands, and mangroves to effectively manage water flow.