{
  "id": 3771368,
  "title": "Sponge City",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/sponge-city",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Philippine Star Business",
    "slug": "philippine-star-business",
    "url": "https://www.philstar.com/business/2026/08/28/2552226/sponge-city"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Metro Manila experiences intense flooding, prompting the BBM government to announce 39 potential sites for rainwater catchment and underground detention structures. The Dutch consulting firm Royal HaskoningDHV will provide technical support in designing these facilities. Construction financing will come from a loan by the AIIB and counterpart funds from the Philippine government. The project aims to reduce flooding by utilizing nature-based solutions, such as rain gardens, green roofs, and permeable pavements. However, implementation is delayed due to bureaucratic issues, right-of-way disputes, and local utility relocation problems. The AIIB's mandate includes allocating over 50% of its annual approvals to climate-adapted \"Green Infrastructure,\" making it a suitable financier for this project. The World Bank and AIIB co-finance the Metro Manila Flood Management Project, which is nearing completion but facing major delays. Successful examples of sponge city infrastructure in Asia, such as Bangkok's Benjakitti Forest Park and the Vertis North Rain Garden in Quezon City, demonstrate effective water management through green infrastructure. However, the Philippine government faces challenges in executing a comprehensive \"Sponge City\" network due to insufficient specialized contractors and limited civil engineering capabilities.",
  "summary": "The floods we endured over the last two weeks elicited a hopeful press release from BBM.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}