#MINDANAO
Jumping off from last week’s column about typhoon Ondoy that hurt Metro Manila in 2009, one thing is clear. We are seeing higher amounts of rain falling within a short period of time.
Monthly rainfall forecasts are referenced by PAGASA against historical rainfall data. In the case of the Bicol provinces, data from the PAGASA website indicates that on Oct. 22, 2024 alone, more than 200 mm of rain fell, which is half of the recorded rainfall for the month. This will obviously overwhelm drainage systems, causing floods that will take long to subside.
That said, severe tropical storm Kristine also affected the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Southern Tagalog regions. When combined, these three regions are more than half of the Philippine economy in terms of services and industry, while CALABARZON and Central Luzon together contribute 21.6 percent of our agriculture, fishery, and forestry contributing a large portion of the NCR’s food requirements. How this will impact our country’s economic growth projections and inflation calculations will be apparent in the coming days.
Beyond the numbers is the human toll of Kristine, where precious lives were lost for which prayers for the repose of souls are sought, and destruction for which immediate relief and support will be necessary. Many a resident will need to salvage their homes for memories, old photographs, and important documents.
While we reel from the floods, we have also seen how prolonged dry periods such as what took place in the middle of this year and in 2019 in Luzon threatened our water supply. Simply put, extreme weather where extremely hot and dry periods and times of excessive rain mean we will need to review our adaptation strategies to make sure that we have enough water throughout t the year for our needs. Storage methods, conveyance, and watershed management approaches will be needed.
The experience in Luzon and the Visayas ought to inform us in Mindanao as we adapt to changing climate patterns. How should we harness this excess rain when it does come will be the defining challenge, since Mindanao is our country’s food basket contributing 37.73 percent of Agriculture, fishery, and forestry in 2023. This is a call for our geologists, hydrologists, foresters, agriculturists, and civil engineers to bring their expertise to help find solutions to ensure that flood control and water management measures can be maximized to prevent the loss of life and ensure that enough water is available for our needs. Water management is also a fertile arena of innovation as contemplated by the 2018 Innovation Law. The key is the effectiveness of the proposed designs and the environmental and social impact mitigating measures. This will be the challenge of the new generation of engineers.
Likewise, local businesses and citizen groups ought to participate in looking at water management and flood control projects since they are among the most affected by the flooding and drought. They have lost economic opportunities, days of work, and incured extra costs for clean-ups and repairs.
BAEP
Congratulations to the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP) and the European Union for pursuing an innovative project called the Bangsamoro Agro Enterprises Program (BAEP), Creating Responsible Sustainable Competitive Enterprises in the BARMM Agribusiness Sector (CRESCENT). This multi-year project aims to bring agribusiness investments into the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This will boost the local economy and create more opportunities for residents.