The Dampalit Megadike in Malabon was completed in 2022 by the Department of Public Works and Highways as part of their Flood Control and Drainage System Improvement Project. While it has reduced flooding in some parts of the city, Malabon is still known to flood during extreme conditions. But I digress.

Aside from its core function for flood mitigation, the dike has become a popular community and recreational area, often referred to as the Dampalit Mega Dike Park.

This was Leandro’s post-job ride, as he recently resigned from work, and we wanted to celebrate with something memorable. And what can be more memorable than a sunset ride?

I left my place in Makati to meet up with my friends in Pasig, and we biked off to San Juan to meet up and have a quick lunch with Manila Bike Commuter, who organized this ride. From there, it was a near 20km ride to Malabon via G. Araneta Avenue.

G. Araneta Avenue: Not for the Faint-Hearted

If you want to want near-truck-kun moments, G. Araneta Ave is the way to go. After everything we did that Saturday, going to the Dampalit Megadike did feel like an isekai trip on bikes.

There are two primary routes to get to the dike: EDSA or G. Araneta Avenue. EDSA was a definite nope for all of us because of the annoying merger we’d have to do on the Balintawak Bridge. But Araneta is also not for the faint-hearted, as your biggest challenge, literally, is riding alongside trucks, container vans, motorcycles, and private cars.

If anything, biking there felt like threading yourself into a chaotic tapestry of metal upon metal.

It was… a lot.

Despite feeling the thrill of the ride, smiling whenever a camera was pointed at me, the stress never really disappeared. I felt every honk, every near-side sweep, every grumble and complaint from motorists surrounding us. The polluted air scraped our throats. We were covered in soot from the Skyway above and dust from the exhaust pipes of the vehicles surrounding us, mixing with our sweat and creating an ashy film of gunk on our exposed skin.

In all honesty, I felt most alive in these moments.

“Almost There” for the Last Few Kilometers

With Araneta Ave. out of the way, all we had to do was reach the Dampalit Megadike. But apparently even if you’re already in Malabon, going there isn’t so simple.

We have a saying in Manila that goes: “It takes X hours to get out of Manila to get to Manila.” This means that the National Capital Region is so heavily congested that you’re still within “provincial limits” when you’re supposed to be out of the area already.

That’s how Malabon felt like.

If I were in a car, I’d be that kid who asks, “Are we there yet?” because once we reached Malabon, it felt like we were near our destination, but barely there at the same time. The truck-heavy roads seemed to add more distance from the Dampalit Megadike, and I was starting to think we were on a wild goose chase for an urban oasis.

But after cycling behind trucks and container vans from Araneta Ave. all the way to M.H. Del Pilar St., the traffic finally eased up, and after Governor Pascual Avenue, the heavy vehicles lessened, and we could see fishponds with children swimming in them. The sun was about to set, so we made it just in time to the entrance of the Dampalit Megadike.

It Was All Worth It

Upon reaching the Dampalit Megadike, after surviving all those roads and trucks and chaos, it felt like crossing into a different world.

Once we hit the outskirts of the city, the noise faded, the air changed, and suddenly there’s space–actual space–to ride next to each other.

We entered a small street and walked through an even smaller gate: The entrance of the Dampalit Megadike. Home free. Finally here. Hindi kami binudol ni MBC!

After a short gravel path, we made our way to the surface of the dike. The 8.6km long structure looked like a more scenic Pasig Esplanade with hazy mountain views in the distance and city silhouettes nearby, and the beautiful sunset sitting over just the calm waters of the Batasan River.

We took pictures of our bikes (because why not) and of each other, of the scenery around us, and just… hung out. Funny though, I just got to know these guys this year but I felt we’ve been friends even before we were born. Some people are like that, I guess.

The ride felt symbolic in a way, too: We sometimes have to go through chaos to find order, and, eventually, peace. And honestly, the death-defying bike ride was well worth it. I’d do this again. Same route, same group.

Maybe the sunset would look different next time.

And hopefully, fewer trucks.

Now… when’s our next adventure?