UST’s stormwater drainage system upgrade is nearing completion with the commencement of the final construction phase, officials from the Facilities and Management Office (FMO) said.
FMO Director Fr. Dexter Austria said the construction beneath Dr. Juan Miciano and Dr. Joaquin Quintos Drives, located behind the UST Hospital and adjacent to the San Martin de Porres Building, would conclude the second and final stage of UST’s drainage system upgrade.
The final stage includes the installation of larger pipes, the installation of additional drainage channels, and the implementation of new plumbing systems, said Albert Surla, the assistant director of the FMO.
Surla, an engineer, said the drainage system upgrade was initiated to address the persistent flooding issues that have disrupted student life and work and posed health and safety risks during rains.
“This issue has disrupted the daily activities of students, faculty, staff, patients, and doctors, and has posed potential health and safety risks,” Surla told the Varsitarian.
UST began constructing its updated stormwater detention system in 2018 in a bid to make the Manila campus on España Boulevard, the catch basin of the Sampaloc area, “flood-free.”
Surla said the final stage would be completed in three months, aligning with the start of the next academic year.
“The schedule has been planned to minimize disruption to university activities, with certain phases of the work being carried out during off-peak hours and school breaks where possible,” he said.
“The reduction of flooding will ensure a safer area for the Thomasian community and will minimize disruptions to educational activities and healthcare services.”
The first phase of the drainage system improvements at UST covered half the campus and was completed in 2020, according to Austria.
The second stage included construction beneath the Central Seminary, Motorpool, and Botanical Garden.
