THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
What really causes massive flooding in many parts of our country today?
This was the big question raised in recent discussions following the damage caused by the passing of Typhoon Enteng. It will be recalled that the howler brought an unprecedented volume of rainwater. Reports estimate that some parts of the country received the equivalent of two months of rainfall in just a few days. Many places were inundated, including portions of Rizal province and Antipolo City.
The unfortunate events triggered the discussions and several items landed in the list of what is to blame for them.
President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. made an aerial survey of the damage wrought by the massive rains in the areas east of Metro Manila. He visited Rizal and Antipolo to initiate a more thorough discussion and to encourage the agencies and entities concerned to develop a more holistic approach to the perennial problem.
In the meeting, we informed the President that Rizal and Antipolo are planning to tap experts from the University of the Philippines to conduct a thorough study of the problem and to recommend viable solutions.
The planned study is aimed at “unbundling” the root cause or causes of the problem and determining which of the many possible causes can be considered “primary,” and which ones are within the capability of a private individual or his community to address, and which ones should be given priority.
The study appears to be necessary to put order and logic in the moves that the parties concerned may take to address the situation. Several factors immediately received “blame” after the incident.
Among them were climate change, voluminous rainwater brought by the typhoon, mining operations, the decimation of forest covers, “urbanization,” indiscriminate waste/garbage disposal, and the apparent inadequacy of drainage systems within and beyond our communities (neighboring towns). We know for a fact that all these contribute to flooding. It is a fact that the disaster wrought by Enteng and other typhoons which had earlier brought massive destruction is the product of very many factors and their confluence. It is, however, vital, that we determine which of them is the “main” or “primary” cause and which, therefore, can and should be attended to first.
Some of these can be addressed at the local government level. Some require the cooperation and collaboration of the entire community. Others require the action of the national government particularly DPWH, DSHUD and DENR.
An example of the latter is the concern about mining.
In the aftermath of the flooding and landslides caused by Enteng, many expressed concerns that this is the toll of the said activities taking place in Rizal. The concern is not without basis. Rizal province is a source of the materials used by the building and construction industries in the NCR. These materials abound in the province and Rizal is just its next-door neighbor. It makes perfect sense that these industries mine for these materials.
The fact is Rizal Province had attempted several times to unilaterally put a stop to these activities.
The move of the province to stop them was opposed by several national government line agencies like the DPWH, DILG, DENR, DTI, NEDA, MMDA, DOLE, etc. The province was told that these activities are “ultra vires” – outside the scope of the power and authority of the province. The parties involved in these activities had obtained their licenses not from the province but from DENR. The province was ordered and told – on several occasions – that it, therefore, had no power over such activities.
The position of the DENR on this matter was supported by the judiciary or the court. Several times, the court had ordered the province to cease and desist from interfering in these operations precisely for that reason – it is “ultra vires.”
Two more factors may have significantly contributed to the problem. One is “human behavior.” Part of this “human behavior” factor is the way people deal with trash. It is important that every individual living in a community must realize once more that trash not properly disposed of will clog drainage systems. Clogging disables these systems. No matter how much money local governments pour into laying down these systems, if people continue to improperly dispose of their trash, these systems will not be able to do their job.
It is clear that one of the possible solutions to the flooding problem is human behavior modification. Simply put, people should exert more effort in properly disposing of garbage. The system is dependent on collective human behavior.
Finally, there is the matter of climate change.
The United Nations (UN) defines “climate change” as a “natural process” where temperature, rainfall, wind, and other elements vary over decades or more. Its consequences are, among others, “flooding, rising sea levels, catastrophic storms.”
This may be the answer to the observation of many that they have never experienced before the amount of rain and the flooding caused by Enteng in their communities. This may be beyond the ability of a local government to address. This requires the whole of humanity to work on. We will give priority to those that are within the limited abilities of a local government.
(The author is the current mayor of Antipolo City, former Rizal governor, DENR assistant secretary and LLDA general manager. Email: [email protected])