Nathalie Dagmang August 4, 2010

2010-24702 BS CN Socio 11 WFU

Floods in Metro Manila

Flooding is described as “a rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto

normally dry land”. (Webster’s dictionary). It may naturally occur because of overflowing of

bodies of water, heavy rains, tsunamis and snow melting. In addition, floods can also be the

result of a faulty sewer network, clogged drainage system, illegal logging or the erosion of

natural flood buffers due to mining and other land development projects.

In the Philippines, floods occur mainly because of heavy rainfalls, especially in times

when typhoons hit the country which happens in an average of 20 times a year. Philippines’s

climate is characterized by hot and/or rainy days, or what is called a tropical climate. The

excessive amount of water coming from the heavy rains may cause the overflow of bodies of

water, which are abundant in archipelagic countries like the Philippines. The overflow, or

sometimes breakage, of water dams may also result from the heavy rainfalls, thus causing

floods around their locations.

After typhoon Ondoy struck Metro Manila, authorities have become pessimistic on the

economic growth of the Philippines. Estimates indicate that “the real GDP [gross domestic

product] growth rate in full year 2009 will by reduced by at least 0.043 percentage points." The

Development Budget Coordinating Council (DBCC) also cut its expectations on the country’s

economic expansion from 0.8-1.8 percent to 0.7 to 1.7 percent for 2009. However, the

remittances off overseas Filipino workers have increased, mainly because of the request of

1
support from their families in the Philippines. This will help boost consumer spending which

makes up 70% of the economy.

Typhoon Ondoy, which brought 41.6 cm total rainfall in a single day, damaged an

estimate of 108.9 million peso worth of infrastructure and 3.2 billion worth of crops and

affected about 90,000 Filipino families.

The consequences of flooding can be felt not only by those who have experienced

floods but all the Filipinos, whether they are aware of these consequences or not. These

consequences are apparent in Metro Manila’s environment, economy and its residents’ health

and livelihood.

The private individuals who have directly experienced the consequences of flooding may

have experienced this because their livelihood, their own or their relatives’ homes have been

flooded. The floods may have destroyed their possessions, contaminated their water (which

may result to clean water scarcity), brought them water-borne diseases, claimed the lives of

some of them or killed their crops or livestock.

Each of this direct consequences experienced by private individuals is significant to the

consequences felt by the whole nation. When the crops and livestock of farmers are destroyed

by floods, agricultural products become scarce. And because of this food shortage, market

prices will increase and will greatly affect every Filipino household. Clean water scarcity can also

be felt by every Filipino because of the contamination of water supply.

2
 Floods do not destroy only the possessions of private individuals but also business

establishments and the infrastructures that are built by the national and local government for

every Filipino like bridges, offices, public schools, etc. As a result, national and local

governments and business managements encounter economic problems due to the high costs

of repair and rebuilding of infrastructures. There is also a decline in tourism because of the

destruction of buildings/business establishments and natural tourist spots.

According to the International Disaster Database (of year 2008), flooding is the 2 nd most

fatal and frequently occurring disaster in the Philippines. Among the disasters that happen in

the country, it is also the top cause of economic damages with more than $4 million worth of

damages caused.

In order to prevent flooding and its consequences, systems/methods are used by the

government and individuals. The government builds levees, bunds (used in the Far East), water

reservoirs, weirs (“dam in a stream or river to raise the water level or divert its flow”), dikes,

seawalls, barrier islands and tide gates. In the Philippines, water reservoirs, dikes, flood gates

and seawalls are also used.

A number of institutions are assigned specific roles that they will play in the prevention

of flooding and its consequences. These institutions include the PAGASA, DPWH (Department of

Public Works and Highways), MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority), NDCC (National

Disaster Coordination Council), Napocor (National Power Corporation), and Filipinos, both those

who have experienced floods and those who did not.

3
 Before, the main job of controlling and monitoring floods was assigned to DPWH. But in

2002, this task was turned over to MMDA, and then back to DPWH in 2004. EFCOS or the

Effective Flood Control Operation System is a 1 Billion-worth flooding system funded by Japan.

This system is used to monitor water levels to alert authorities for potential flooding especially

sites near bodies of water. The information provided by the system is used as basis for

evacuation warnings for minimizing loss of lives and property damage during floods. But due to

lack of budget, MMDA has stopped operating the system in 2008. Then MMDA chairman Bayani

Fernando said that the maintenance cost is too much for the purpose it serves. The

abandonment of EFCOS was much talked about specially when typhoon Ondoy came to the

Philippines and affected the whole Metro Manila. Residents say that the maintenance cost of

EFCOS is apparently much lesser than the rehabilitation cost needed after the typhoon struck

Metro Manila. On the other hand, former MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando argued that “he

would rather focus on rehabilitation efforts in affected areas before concentrating on the

‘technical aspects’ of the MMDA’s flood control program.”

Apart from operating the EFCOS, MMDA also has other tasks and projects under the

Flood Control and Drainage Management division. These include the drainage improvements

(regular declogging of drainage systems), repair/maintenance of flood control structures, clean-

up of waterways of garbage and bank improvements of creeks and esteros. In coordination with

city governments and the National Housing Authority (NHA), they are also tasked to relocate

informal settlers living near rivers. MMDA also provides access of roads for collection of

garbage on houses along water ways. In contrast, DPWH is assigned in the construction of

roads, flood control structures and waterways.

4
 Napocor, on the other hand, is tasked to control dam operations (such as the release of

water/ opening of floodgates) under its Forecasting and Warning System for Dam operations

(FFWSDO) agency.

The protocol of Napocor Administration for dam control includes coordination with

PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) which

gives the data needed calculate how much water should be released from the dams.

PAGASA’s role in the flood control in the country is to provide typhoon and flood

warnings to authorities and residents. Its mission is to “provide protection of life and property

against natural hazards due to typhoons, floods, drought, giant waves, high seas, etc., to utilize

scientific knowledge and information as an effective instrument to ensure the safety, well

being, economic security and improve the quality of life of all the people and the environment.”

At the height of typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, Napocor and PAGASA has been passing

faults on the excessive release of water from dams. People are blaming Napocor for

irresponsibly releasing water from the dams under their control thus heightening the flood

water levels. They are also blaming PAGASA for inaccurately forecasting the amount of rainfall

and for giving late evacuation warnings for the residents of places prone to flooding.

NDCC, is another institution active in flood management. It is the president’s adviser on

disaster preparedness and coordinator of disaster management. Its council consists of

secretaries from different departments and other institutions including the Philippine National

Red Cross, Philippine Information Agency, and the Office of Civil Defense. The secretary of

environment and natural resources works on the reforestation of areas prone to flooding and

5
on the formulation of rules and regulations for the control of water and land pollution which

may result to flooding.

Aside from political institutions, residents of Metro Manila and its environs also take

part in the country’s flood management. Waste management is one of the methods that the

residents themselves can do to prevent flooding. The reduction and proper disposal of wastes

help minimize the water levels during storms. MMDA, in particular, urged the residents of

Metro Manila to observe proper waste disposal. They found out that the efficiency of pumping

stations is reduced to 70% due to garbage clogging of drainage systems.

Business establishments can also contribute to the country’s flood management by

observing proper waste management and reducing its utilization of the environment (e.g.

Logging, mining, land development, etc.)

Waste management is another social issue in the Philippines and is an important factor

in the issue of floods in the country.

Sources:

http://www.INQUIRER.net

http://www.philstar.com

http://www.gmanews.tv

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com

http://www.mmda.gov.ph/

http://ndcc.gov.ph

http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/

http://www.environmentlaw.org.uk