Flooding has long been one of those “normal” things Metro Manila residents have learned to live with. Quezon City, however, seems determined to challenge that mindset with an infrastructure project that proves flood control doesn’t have to be obvious. The QC Government just unveiled a solution you probably wouldn’t expect to find in a residential neighborhood: a basketball court with a detention basin underneath.

A basketball court with a detention basin

“Ika nga ng isang kasabihan, ‘kill two birds with one stone’,” said QC Mayor Joy Belmonte, proudly announcing the opening of the city’s newest basketball court last January 3.

The court, located in Palmera Homes Phase III, was purposefully built with a detention basin underneath to address flooding in the area. Detention basins are temporary facilities that hold excess stormwater during heavy rainfall before it is released slowly.

According to Belmonte, this basin can store up to 1,700 cubic meters of water, more than half of an Olympic-sized pool.

Quezon City Drainage Master Plan in partnership with UPRI-NOAH

If you’re already impressed with this double-feature infrastructure, you should know that’s not the only flood control project in the works for QC.

The local government is working on a Drainage Master Plan (DMP) for the city in partnership with the UP Research Institute (UPRI). Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center executive director Mahar Lagmay says these detention basins are strategically placed throughout the city.

“It is based on the master drainage plan crafted by UPRI-NOAH and the QC LGU. UP-NOAH researchers used combined drainage flow and surface runoff simulations to determine where these detention basins can be most effective,” said Lagmay.

More flood mitigation projects for QC

“The DMP covers all of the City’s 142 barangays and integrates all 44 tributaries and 5 major river systems that pass through the city’s jurisdiction with the man-made drainage systems built by the various government agencies involved with drainage and roadworks,” read a statement from the Quezon City Government.

They have also completed more than 150 flood mitigation projects as of July 2025. This includes detention basins, flood interceptors, stormwater storage panel systems, and slope protection works.

With flooding in the city getting worse by the year, it’s good to know that the QC Government is putting our taxes to use with the DMP.

Read more about Quezon City’s Drainage Master Plan here.

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