The sun will come out - so you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow!

 Last week was the longest week we had staying indoors.  The southwest monsoon rains that became a deadly ‘storm’ without a name claimed the lives of 65 people and affected more than 2.4 million in 149 towns and 31 cities in 16 provinces according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

More than 77,850 families sought refuge inside evacuation centers according to the Department of Social Welfare Department (DSWD).  Central Luzon was the hardest-hit area, with floods affecting at least 1,545,380 people.  In Metro Manila around 343,193 people were affected as the flood submerged almost eighty percent of the metropolitan area.

Search and rescue operations had helped a total 57,150 people, according to the NDRRMC.  Damage to infrastructure was estimated to P2.9 million. The DSWD said P45.3 million worth of relief assistance have been given by the national and local governments, and non-government organizations for flood victims.

This was the longest week we had without feeling the warmth of the sun. We had to stay indoors. We were not even able to go to work, school or to a grocery or marketplace. On the third day of continues rain, it really felt like God was trying to tell us something.          

It may not be the exact message but this phenomenon is paralleled to a biblical passage which coincides with the date, August 7, 2012. Genesis 8:7-12 as most of us know is about Noah’s Ark. It tells us about the prophet Noah who received a divine order to build an ark to save his family from a flood of 40 days and 40 nights.  The flood was a punishment for the world’s sins. Well, whether we associate this rain with Noah’s Ark or not – it’s a message.        

In a way, the rainwaters cleaned all the dirt and filth that our government couldn’t manage to clean or ignored to address.  For instance, why are squatters not stopped from living near the rivers? First, they put their lives in danger.  Second, they dump all their garbage and human waste there. Isn’t that a crime?  What about the squatters who are encouraged to live in the cities? First, they are too many. Second, they are cramped in an area quite suffocating and unhygienic to say the least.  Third, they are uncontrollable.  So, where is the political will of the mayors to do what is right and not what is wrong?

The question is why haven’t our mayors relocated them?  In Quezon City alone, the biggest city in the metropolitan area, one that collects more than enough taxes to improve the city, the mayor has not shown a big leap in terms of city planning and relocation measures. Infrastructure seems substandard and their relief efforts/systems are still antiquated.  San Juan, the smallest city and easiest to manage continues to flood with all its waterways clogged. Why? The creeks are filthy with too much garbage. As you pass by the small bridges you can see how much garbage is dumped there. The same is true for the other cities that were affected by the floods like Marikina, Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, Pasig, Pasay, Caloocan and Pateros. The provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Bataan and Zambales.

I know that we also have zoning issues. Manila is particularly vulnerable to flooding. It sits in a low-lying area between a large lake and the ocean. The lake, Laguna de Bay, at the south of the city, drains to the ocean via the Pasig River, which runs through the center of the city. Both the lake and the river are heavily silted and prone to overflowing their banks. But the city continues to encourage squatting and construction of new edifices without due consideration for flood prone areas.

The Greenhills area, a small town in San Juan is a good example of a zoning issue.  With a very small area, you would think that the city officials are extra careful in zoning measures.  In the past years, the city government has allowed the construction of high-rise buildings and to date they continue to approve construction of skyscrapers. So what will happen? These city officials are encouraging the growth and development of an overpopulated town. They are destroying the natural landscape of the area and inviting congestion. Little by little the water has found its way into the streets. Soon hygiene, sanitation, traffic and increase in crime will become an issue.  Abangan! But the point still remains the same. Why do we have a strong feeling that our city mayors do not care? Why do we always see their bad side – corruption and politicking?  They need to show their constituents that they are professionals and will do anything and everything that is good for the city.       

Paolo Alcazaren, renowned urban planner wrote, “Rain or shine, there is no excuse to live our lives like this ....constantly in harm’s way ...constantly seeking heroic efforts for rescue and relief from calamities we know the origins of yet refuse to do anything long term ...this heroism should be extended to address the source of the problems and not just its symptoms - something we cannot do without an integrated metropolitan plan under a consolidated urban governance structure to replace the centuries old political boundaries that divide Metro Manila into 17 separate kingdoms.”  Indeed, our city mayors must get together and come up with a code to improve our cities.  If high-end villages and urban developed areas can avoid flooding through proper planning, waste and drainage management systems, why can’t the rest of the cities follow suit? It’s about time our city officials level up!  

We must remember that only 18 percent is left of our waterways. New urban developments resilient to flooding must be made but with tougher restrictions and zoning measures. 

Last Monday I wrote about the Philippines sinking. A reader wrote and said, “that is a ridiculous statement.” I never wished for our country to capsize but in a way it did.  I just wanted to make a point for us Filipinos to take care of the environment as we continue to experience the wrath of Mother Earth.

The sun will come out tomorrow (from the Broadway musicale “Annie”) is a song that gives hope.  The song goes, The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun. Just thinking about tomorrow, clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow, ‘til there’s none. When I’m stuck with the day that’s gray and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin and say…tomorrow, tomorrow I love you tomorrow, you’re only a day away. Our public officials know what is wrong.  Here’s looking forward to a “new” tomorrow when the sun will truly come out in our country and shine. But until then, our public officials still need to do a lot of work and soul searching because up to now they haven’t got the ability to get things done!