This past week, Metro Manila and other areas of Luzon were submerged in relentless floods, triggered by successive typhoons and intensified by the southwest monsoon (habagat). The scenes were heartbreaking and all too familiar: families in low-lying communities forced to evacuate, motorists and commuters stranded for hours, students trudging through floodwaters, and drenched workers waiting endlessly for transportation so they can finally go home to their loved ones.
We are once again faced with a painful and frustrating truth: we are dangerously unprepared and ill-equipped to confront the worsening impact of climate change.
According to the latest report from National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the combined effects of the habagat and Typhoons Crising, Dante and Emong has claimed at least 30 lives and affected over 1.8 million families. The devastation is widespread: 586 road sections and 35 bridges were damaged, with infrastructure losses estimated at over P7 billion. A total of 193 cities and municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity.
What makes the severity of the impact of the floods more frustrating is the fact that this is not new at all. In fact, this has been a recurring problem for as long as I can remember, worsening each passing year. I remember my first experience of floodwaters was back in 1972, when I was eight years old. I vividly remember the fear I felt as we experienced prolonged flooding in our home in San Isidro, Makati, which at the time was still part of Rizal province.
At 61, I have seen how floods destroy years of progress. The difference now is, as a senior citizen, I personally feel the greater vulnerability of the elderly. Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes in a recent statement emphasized the higher risk that faces the elderly when he called for the greater inclusion of their welfare in the legislative priorities and economic agenda of the government.
This call is especially urgent given that we’re only halfway through the year. More storms are expected to hit the country, and with them, more floods.
How many more times must we watch families wade through waist-deep floods, lose their homes to landslides and strong winds, and be praised for their “resilience” – as if survival were a choice, not a necessity?
It’s as if we have resigned ourselves to expect a tragic déjà vu every rainy season.
Filipinos shouldn’t have to be resilient if real, systemic solutions were in place. What we need is accountability in flood control efforts. Today, flood management efforts are scattered across agencies and local government units – often designed with only one area in mind instead of a holistic solution. While we commend the grit and dedication of local officials, emergency responders and volunteers, we cannot rely solely on local efforts and heroism to solve a national problem.
What we need is a flood czar – a high-level government official with a strong technical background that has the knowledge, experience and accountability to lead a unified, science-driven and efficient response to the country’s worsening flood problems.
This person’s main responsibility is to ensure efficient and effective delivery of projects that solve perennial flooding. This person must have clear authority to cut through bureaucracy, align local efforts with national goals, enforce climate-resilient standards, and properly manage funding for modern flood control and urban planning.
Of course, this is easier said than done, which is why such a herculean task requires government support across all levels. Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin highlighted the importance of cutting red tape when she recently called on the administration to work on making government services faster and more responsive to address the “everyday struggles” of the people.
It’s time we stop treating flooding as a seasonal inconvenience and start addressing it as a long-term crisis that requires coordinated, centralized leadership. Climate change is no longer a looming threat. It is an existing major problem that is flooding our homes, destroying our livelihood and claiming lives.
Let the recent floods be a reminder of the urgent need to take meaningful action on a long-standing issue. I hope to see the day when rain no longer brings fear or disruption but is simply part of everyday life – something we can welcome without worrying about floods because we are confident that our communities are safe and our systems are resilient.