Flooding in Cainta is expected to drop by more than 45 percent once construction of a new drainage interceptor project along Marcos Highway is completed, local officials said.

Cainta Mayor Keith Nieto said the national government and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) project will act as an express route for floodwaters, preventing overflow into local creeks and residential subdivisions.

“Instead of having the water flow through the narrow creeks, it will go straight into the drainage interceptor on the highway leading to the Marikina River,” Nieto said. “It acts as a water expressway — no more crowding inside the narrow pathways.”

Situated in a low-lying valley, Cainta serves as a catchment basin for floodwaters flowing down from elevated areas such as Antipolo, Marikina, and Sumulong Highway.

Water traditionally drains into the Balanti and Halang Creeks, frequently inundating local subdivisions including Filinvest, Vista Verde, Green Park, Karangalan, Country Homes, Village East, Deuar, Dapon, and Kasibulan.

Nieto said the contract for the project has been awarded. Construction on Phase 1 and Phase 2 will span two years under MMDA chairperson Don Artes.

In the meantime, the municipality is relying on five booster pumps operating simultaneously across town to mitigate flooding. The pumps accelerate water flow toward river outfalls at a rate of 1.5 to 2 cubic meters per second.