The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to construct a P20-billion ring dike around the Laguna de Bay to resolve the perennial problem of massive flooding in the eastern and southern part of Metro Manila and provinces of Laguna and Rizal.

Edilberto Tayao, DPWH director for the National Capital Region, said they are planning to build a 89.3-km ring dike that will form part of the existing 7-km dike along the Circumferential 6 road (C-6) in Taguig City.

“President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo already knew about this project but the department is still in the planning stage,” Tayao said.

Under the proposed project, the ring dike is 10-meter wide, two-lane and its an elevation 15 dike which will also be built to serve as alternate route for motorists going to and from southern and eastern part of Metro Manila.

“It (ring dike)will connect cities and municipalities of Pasig, Pateros, Paranaque, Muntinlupa, Taguig, Tanay and other areas around Laguna Lake,” he added.

Talking about the avenues for funding, DPWH Undersecretary Romeo Momo, who is in charge of Luzon operations, said they can include it to foreign funded projects like JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and World Bank.

“DPWH can also construct the dike using local budget through multi year funding, meaning there is certain kilometer to be constructed for a year until it's completed and only on the basis of the necessity," he said in a separate interview.

“The priority will be based on the areas where is it usually submerged the most during the rainy days,” Momo added.

Apart from decongesting traffic in Metro Manila, Momo said the ring dike aims to control the contamination of Laguna de Bay by sewage such as water lilies and other debris coming from the communities nearby.