01/05/2026
Parts of Metro Manila are experiencing rapid land subsidence, a geophysical process where the ground gradually sinks due to excessive groundwater extraction. As water is pumped out from underground aquifers faster than it can be naturally replenished, the soil compacts and loses volume, causing the surface to drop. In some areas, this sinking reaches several centimeters per year, a rate confirmed through satellite based measurements and geodetic monitoring. This means that even without changes in sea level, the land itself is lowering, effectively increasing the relative height of surrounding water bodies.
When combined with Sea Level Rise and stronger typhoons, the impact becomes significantly more dangerous. Lower ground elevation makes communities more vulnerable to flooding, storm surges, and prolonged waterlogging, especially in low lying coastal and urban zones. This is not a distant or theoretical risk. It is an ongoing process already affecting infrastructure, drainage systems, and residential areas. Addressing it requires stricter groundwater regulation, improved water supply systems, and long term urban planning that accounts for both climate change and subsurface geophysics.
Science Department |
