Five years ago, the Centro Salvador moved part of its operations to Baseco the district where Manila’s poorest people live. At that time, the risk of flooding was an afterthought. Occasionally - usually after a super typhoon - the Pasig river would breach its banks. It rarely happened more than once a year. In 2025 alone, Baseco was flooded six times. Even the new river barriers did not help.

This year the pattern changed. Under the weight of ever more buildings, Manila's silty ground sinks by 5 cm a year. Public information is scant but the evidence is clear. When high tides and typhoons combine, the low land floods, specifically during the typhoon season in fall and early winter.

Our operational base in Baseco, located 100 meters from the Pasig River, suffers directly. Regularly, the ground floor is knee deep under water. For days we have to suspend the feeding of the children in our support program (the Chalice Program). Proving children with vital nutrition is a key part of our effort to break the cycle of poverty. Only children with a healthy diet develop a fully functional brain, can go to school, graduate and find well-paid jobs. The CCTV shot shows the kitchen area during the flooding in November 2025.

Doing nothing is thus not an option. To continue the food program we will either have to move to a new location or build higher. The John DV Salvador Foundation together with the Bless the Children Foundation now look into available options. The Baseco district was reclaimed from the sea in the 1960. It was earmarked for building an additional container terminal before it was “invaded” by squatters. Today, it is Manila’s biggest and poorest slum. There is no elevation in Baseco though. Moving to a new place is not a real option. Building higher may not be an option either. The foundations of the Casa Salvador support only two floors above ground. Adding more floors makes the building structurally instable.One of our children walking home frorm our flooded Casa.

The only viable option may be to tear our casa down, drill 30 meters to firm ground and place the new house on stilts. Whether we can afford such a project is another matter. Eunice Cheng Chua, the Bless the Children’s CEO, asked the John DV Salvador Foundation for help to explore viable options. We know that we cannot do nothing. Flood waters will retun in fall and winter 2026. Story to be continued.