MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila was declared under the state of calamity when torrential monsoon rains left 90 percent of the metropolis submerged in floods.
But residents along Estero de Paco were unruffled, with all the rain draining into the unclogged waterways surrounding them. Unlike nearby areas, there was no flooding in Estero de Paco. As stated by Manila flood control head Alexander Mohammad, “The perennial flooding of Estero de Paco catchment decreased. The flooding problem was solved. Hopefully all the esteros will be like Estero de Paco.â€
The restoration of Estero de Paco proved to have positive effects even on the psyche of the residents. A survey conducted by Justino Arboleda and Freddie Obligacion revealed that 89 percent of the community feels safer, and 97 percent said they have greater peace of mind and more life satisfaction.
The study also revealed the community feels healthier, with 89 percent feeling less sick and 85 percent saying they spent less on medical expenses.
Arboleda and Obligacion also added that 96 percent of the community feels there is stronger unity among the barangays, and 97 percent feels proud to be part of the community, hence they are motivated to join the clean-up sessions of the estero. This is a resounding wake-up call that clean surroundings can greatly influence people’s state of mind.