LOOK: This QC Basketball Court Is Hiding a Flood Control Basin Under It

(SPOT.ph) It looks like just another barangay basketball court, but under the concrete in Palmera Homes Phase III, Barangay Santa Monica in Quezon City, you’ll find something far more practical at work.

Beneath the court is a P45 million detention basin that can temporarily store up to 1,700 cubic meters of rainwater, which is equivalent to more than half the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte called the setup a “two birds, one stone” solution.

According to city engineer Dale Perral, the detention basin and the basketball court were built exclusively by the Quezon City government—a project they noted was not implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). It took them a year to build.

“Naisip namin ito kasi instead of having separate projects, baka mas feasible at practical na pagsamahin as much as possible. Since yung land naman at location ay government property, so practical siya for us. At the same time, mas nakatipid pa in effect,” Perral explained in 24 Oras.

So how does it work? Instead of water rushing straight into roads during heavy rainfall, excess water is held underground. Once the rain eases, two locking mechanisms are manually opened, allowing the stored water to flow out with the help of gravity toward the Tullahan River. The system doesn’t rely on electric pumps, which means it can still function during power outages.

The setup mirrors a similar flood-control facility in Bonifacio Global City, where an underground detention basin can hold water equivalent to eight Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Also read: QC Finds 329 Out of 331 Flood Control Projects Had No City Approval

Belmonte said the project is meant to directly support the QC Drainage Master Plan, which focuses on reducing flooding by managing where rainwater goes, not just how fast it drains.

Two to three more multi-purpose detention basins are set to open soon—one is located in Tandang Sora, which will also be built beneath a basketball court, while another is a retention pond now under construction inside the Quezon Memorial Circle.

Quezon City developed the plan in partnership with researchers from the UP Research Institute–NOAH. Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center executive director Mahar Lagmay explained that detention basins, like the one in Barangay Santa Monica, are placed based on simulations that identify locations where water storage would be most effective.

According to the city government, the Drainage Master Plan covers all 142 barangays in Quezon City. As of July 2025, more than 150 flood-mitigation projects—including detention basins—have been completed across the city.

Also read: There Will Be Zero Funds for Flood Control in 2026 Budget, According to Marcos