Two passengers of a mega-taxi escape from the nearly submerged vehicle to its roof as it is smashed by waves made by a passing bus on Espana Blvd. in Sampaloc, Manila, Saturday morning, August 22, 2009. (Photo by MARK BALMORES)

Wide areas in Metro Manila were submerged and several major thoroughfares became impassable to traffic on Saturday, stranding thousands of commuters and forcing universities to suspend classes, as heavy rains overnight caused severe flooding.

In Northern Metro Manila, particularly Malabon, the water was as deep as two meters. It reached more than a meter in parts of Manila.

España Blvd. in the university belt in Sampaloc, Manila, became a virtual sea, particularly the segment in front of the University of Santo Tomas campus.

The Manila Police District (MPD) reported that at least 33 major and minor thoroughfares went under water, prompting commuters and motorists to take long detours or fork out extra cash for pedicabs to ferry them across inundated streets.

According to the MPD Tactical Operation Center, among the roads that became impassable to light vehicles were Ramon Magsaysay Blvd. near the corner of Pureza St. in Sta. Mesa, the whole of España Blvd. in Sampaloc, and Tomas Mapua corner Soler St. in Sta. Cruz district.

The flood also affected Honorio Lopez Drive in Tondo, Jose Abad Santos corner Tayuman, and Jose Abad Santos corner Antipolo in Sta. Cruz, Palanca street fronting Quinta Market in Quiapo, Recto Ave. corner Evangelista St., Simon corner Evangelista St. in Sta. Cruz, Maceda corner Dapitan St., in Sampaloc, Pedro Gil corner Taft Ave. in Malate, and Rizal Ave. corner R. Papa St.

According to MPD’s Police Officer 3 Ramil de Guzman, these areas were usually flooded after heavy rains.

However, residents of Sampaloc, especially those living on J. Marzan St., blamed the recent road construction work on Dapitan St. for the heavy flooding in the area.

Gil Javier, 30, of J. Marzan St. corner Dapitan, said this was the second time this month that the flood entered their house.

"Hindi naman talaga pumapasok ang tubig dito. After lang nung taasan nila yung kalsada sa Dapitan. Pero hindi naman buong Dapitan, uneven tuloy," he said, adding that J. Marzan is one of the narrow side streets in Dapitan.

Sheralyn Diaz, also a resident of Marzan St., said Saturday’s flooding destroyed their antique furniture as well as expensive electronic equipment.

"Ngayon lang ito nangyari sa buong buhay namin," she said. She also blamed the recent road construction in Dapitan for their predicament.

Stranded students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, found their school and surrounding thoroughfares submerged, prompting school authorities to suspend classes.

Non-stop rains during nighttime triggered the high water level in Sta. Mesa and nearby areas in Manila, authorities said.

Some of the students blamed the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for failing to to address the recurring problem of floods in Manila, particularly in Sta. Mesa and Sampaloc.

A few meters away from the PUP grounds is a pumping station where floodwater flows out into the Pasig River during heavy rains.

The latest pumping station inaugurated by the MMDA is the P80-million pumping station in Abucay, Manila, that the agency had said would address the problem of flooding in the university belt.

"Palagi na lang ganito, konting ulan lang binabaha na nang ganito,” said Jerome Martinez, a Mass Communication student.

The MMDA, which is mandated to solve Metro Manila's perennial flood problems, put the blame on the heavy rainfall and the public’s indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

Some pedicab drivers took advantage of the situation and demanded high fares from the stranded students. From the usual P12 per trip, they demanded P30-P40 for the ride.

In northern Metro Manila, floods affected low-lying areas particularly in Malabon where floodwater reached as high as two meters.

Many parts of Malabon like Tonsuya, Letre, Catmon, Longos, and parts of Gov. Pascual Ave. went under water, authorities said.

Fortunately, Malabon residents said, the continuous repair of pumping stations in some parts of the city helped and the floods subsided more quickly. (With report by Ed Mahilum)