Hagonoy, Bulacan, is reviving traditional pilapil, or earth dikes, to help protect communities from persistent tidal flooding caused by Manila Bay.
With nearly all 26 barangays affected by rising tides, the coastal town is restoring old embankments once used by fishpond owners to keep floodwaters from reaching inland communities.
The initiative began in Barangay San Sebastian in 2025 and was formalized through a municipal council resolution and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the municipal government and barangay officials.
Traditional Barriers Protect Flood-Prone Areas
Hagonoy Mayor Rosario Sy-Alvarado Mendoza said the project uses bamboo and existing earth embankments as nature-based flood barriers.
Residents along Peralta Street in San Sebastian have long dealt with recurring floods, while Mary the Queen subdivision, once an upscale residential area, is frequently submerged during high tides.
The restored dikes are also expected to help protect nearby barangays Sto. Niño, San Agustin, and San Nicolas.
Under the agreement, the municipal government will provide construction materials, while barangay officials and residents will supply the labor.
Mendoza said Hagonoy's long-term protection could also benefit from a larger coastal rehabilitation project in neighboring Malolos City.
Malolos Turns to Nature-Based Coastal Protection
In Barangay Pamarawan, Malolos is implementing a P70-million nature-based solutions (NbS) project designed by Dutch firm Royal HaskoningDHV.
Covering 14 hectares between the island community and Manila Bay, the project combines bamboo and oyster breakwaters, oyster bags, sediment traps, and mangrove regeneration to reduce wave energy, restore coastal habitats, and create livelihood opportunities through oyster and fish production.
Malolos Mayor Christian Natividad said the initiative builds on 16 years of research by the Alyansa ng mga BaybayBayan sa Lalawigan ng Bulacan at Pampanga, which began in 2010.
Mangrove Restoration Seen as Key to Flood Mitigation
Natividad said Hagonoy's coastal degradation began in the 1970s, when mangroves were cleared to expand commercial fishponds. When the industry declined amid high salinity, abandoned earth dikes allowed tidal waters to reach inland communities.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon has expressed interest in funding the project's second phase after it was included in the Department of Public Works and Highways' list of national flood-mitigation programs.
The next phase also includes extensive mangrove planting along the Manila Bay shoreline near Pamarawan to help restore natural coastal defenses.
