"When we blame the flash floods entirely on constricted esteros, we are assuming that the flooding is due to the back flow arising from the volume of water flowing out of the full esteros and rivers. If the flooding occurs rapidly after it rains and the water remains on the streets, it is more probable that it is the street drainage and culverts that are full. Some residents of the community reported that the rivers and esteros were still flowing and not yet full right after it rained as major roads and arteries were already flooded a few weeks ago. Eventually water (and all the floating garbage) would flow into the esteros. That is why we see large garbage islands in our esteros and rivers. These are not all products of the communities along the rivers. They are mostly ours. The focus on “cleaning” the esteros is one-sided and unfair to the communities that are already hard put to find decent housing. It seems the “perfect” solution for government because it produces direct visual results. Yet it might not solve flooding in the Metro. In relocation areas such as Montalban, there are no stable services for electricity and water despite the promises to the relocatees. In some areas, they are placed near the drainage areas of the Marikina watershed and nearby rivers. They also live near the Marikina faultline. From their original places near waterways where they are exposed to flooding hazards, they are transplanted to areas with even greater hazards from flooding, earthquakes and landslides. Risk is a product of the hazards present in the area, the exposure of our communities to these hazards and their vulnerability. Instead of trying to reduce risk by removing the communities by demolishing their homes, the government should instead move to decrease their vulnerability by providing stable jobs, decent housing and support to these poor communities."
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 02:58:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015