When it rains, it pours
Sad to say, but I finally have to agree that the flood-control projects being undertaken — that I had high hopes for would finally address our flooding problem — are now proving to be still woefully inadequate.
Unfortunate as it is, it appears the flood-control initiatives, which once held promise, have proven to be inadequate thus far. Regrettably, due to the projects being incomplete and already surpassed by a prolonged period of rain, resuming operations may necessitate a complete restart, entailing the additional burden of addressing structural damage or destruction.
The billions, potentially trillions, of dollars the government has invested in these projects have been washed away in the debris. Climate change's reality is manifesting in a harsh manner, validating the consequences of our neglect towards Mother Nature through urban development practices such as paving over natural waterways, altering river courses, deforestation, over-building in natural landscapes, and converting them into densely populated, concrete cities instead of preserving them as natural drainage systems.
Striving for effective urban planning, the Americans in Baguio early in the 1900s set an example, followed by the US government's involvement in zoning regulations for Manila in the late 1920s and the urban development plan for Quezon City in the 1940s, characterized by a grid layout and spacious avenues. By the 1950s, private developers like Ayala transformed swamplands into a meticulously planned community, which continues to serve as the benchmark of urban planning.
However, the government relinquished its role in city growth planning, entrusting private developers with the task while failing to enforce environmental safeguards. While it facilitated housing for the populace, it neglected to collaborate with developers in ensuring adequate services and connectivity to local communities and infrastructure, resulting in haphazard service connections to utility providers like Meralco, PLDT, and telecommunications companies, and Manila Water and Maynilad.
The government disregarded zoning rules, permitting construction in unsuitable areas such as Tanay's hills in Rizal, which have previously experienced devastating landslides. Uncontrolled growth has led to squatter colonies settling in flood-prone regions, contaminating waterways and exacerbating the garbage issue. The government's failure to manage waste effectively is evident, as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, enacted to address the Payatas garbage avalanche disaster, has largely been forgotten.
Instead of segregation, mixed trash bags are collected, with collectors separating recyclable items for resale and compacting the rest. Developing nations have implemented recycling centers for non-biodegradable waste, but the Philippines lacks such facilities, resulting in a haphazard disposal of items ranging from furniture to hazardous materials, which subsequently re-enter urban areas during flooding, causing additional harm.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
