GETTING NEW FLOODWAYS OFF THE GROUND

The Philippine Star
11/02/09

One priority measure that our lawmakers and bureaucrat executive should focus on before the year is over is to find funds to carry through recommendations made as early as three decades ago to build a complex of flood spillways cutting across the low-lying flood-prone areas of Metro Manila.

As one government flood expert has said, it will take about 10 years to go through the process of updating the old studies and the bureaucratic red tape needed for government and funding agency approval and bidding, as well as going through the construction itself.

A runaround option it seems would be to devise a system wherein the private sector may be enticed to finance part of the construction of these projects, now believed to total some P100 billion, partly utilizing the soft credit that have been allocated through foreign funding agencies.

Realistically, such huge sums of money will be difficult for government to internally generate given its ballooning fiscal deficit problem. Besides, elections is just around the corner and will surely be more the preoccupation of our politicians within the next few months.

Let’s just make sure that any private sector participation will not be squeezed by corruption or be grossly disadvantageous to future taxpayers.
One thing is clear though. Unless something immediate is done, some eight million residents of the metropolis will perpetually find themselves in deep waters during heavy rain downpours. And with the weather behaving as bizarrely as it does now, the possibility of typhoons such as Ondoy even during the summer months is not far-fetched.

Old plans

Apparently, as far back as three decades ago, some key urban planners had already pointed out the need for Metro Manila to build a complex and interrelated infrastructure network that will avert mega-floods caused by strong typhoons like Ondoy.

A number of reasons have been cited for the partial execution and lack of updating of this plan. Not surprisingly, lack of counterpart funding from the Philippine government seems to be a major reason, following by the absence of political will on both the local and national governments’ parts.

Aside from finding the funds to finance these projects, there is the crucial part of having the political muscle to clear away populated areas that would likely be affected by the construction work.

Fast track

If our government planners are to be believed, in the process of getting projects off the ground to prevent a repetition of what happened because of Ondoy, nine of 15 pinpointed projects need to be prioritized.

Among these that need to be started urgently are the East Manggahan floodway project, the San Juan River flood control project, the upper Marikina River improvement project, a Marikina dam project, the 7.5-km Marikina spillway flood mitigation project in the Laguna lakeshore area which will help discharge lake water, and the 60-km south-to-west Laguna lakeshore dike project.

Other flood control projects that also already need urgent action are the Valenzuela-Obando-Meycauayan area drainage system improvement project, the integrated drainage improvement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and surrounding areas, and the drainage improvement in the core of Metro Manila.

All of these big ticket items, with costs each ranging anywhere from P3 to P18 billion, are designed to control flooding in almost all of the areas that had been heavily affected by Ondoy.

Past projects

In contrast, from 1988 to 2009, only six projects had been started, and just five of these completed. Two are not even hard core building projects since these simply involve the setting up of a flood control operation and warning system.

Others that were completed in the last decade include the P1.5-billion Manggahan floodway which serves to divert floodwater from Marikina River to Laguna Lake, the P5.2-billion Metro Manila flood control project- west of Manggahan floodway which prevents flooding in the western area of Manggahan floodway from Laguna Lake, and the P5.1-billion Kalookan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela area flood control and drainage system improvement project.

The first phase of the Pasig- Marikina River channel improvement project, with a cost estimate of P4.6 billion, has already started.

Immediately doable

As an immediate measure while waiting for the big projects to kick in, there is need for systematic and regular clearing of storm drain lines leading to the floodways to allow unimpeded flow of rain waters to the sea. We may not have rains as much as what Ondoy gave, but Metro Manila will continue to be battered by storms.

There has been a notable increase also of informal settlers in many outlying parts of Metro Manila and on both sides of the affected floodways. This is believed to also have contributed to impediment of rainwater flow, accounting for the slow drainage of flood waters in Marikina, Taguig and Laguna de Bay towns. Clearing this will be a priority.

Finally, and which will involve more political commitment, will be in correcting the existing helter-skelter urban development in Metro Manila’s river basins all the way up to Antipolo and the rest of Rizal province. The loss of green cover that has given way to streets, houses, other concrete structures has also contributed to quicker rain run-offs.

While sorting out and responding to Metro Manila’s flood problem, let us not forget other urban sites in the country that face the same problems of over-population. Equally vulnerable are Baguio, Dagupan, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and many other smaller – but rapidly – expanding cities.

Whatever has been learned from Ondoy, let us share with other cities so that they may also apply remedies to avoid catastrophes.

2009 Philippine Collegiate Championship update

University of Visayas Green Lancers is the back-to-back CESAFI champion and will spearhead the Cebu challenge in the elite “Sweet 16” of the PCCL’s 2009 Philippine Collegiate Championship games. The Green Lancers outclassed University of Cebu Webmasters, 75 to 62, in game four of their best of five series.

The UV Green Lancers joins “Sweet 16”early qualifiers Ateneo Blue Eagles (UAAP champion), San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags (NCAA champion), UE Red Warriors, FEU Tamaraws, UST Growling Tigers, San Beda Red Lions, JRU Heavy Bombers and Letran Knights.
The other CESAFI top teams – University of Cebu, San Carlos University Warriors and the University of San Jose Recoletos Jaguars – will play in the Bacolod and Cebu zonal qualifying games where four slots to the “Sweet 16” Finals are at stake.

Competing at the Bacolod zonals starting November 4 to 6 are University of San Carlos, the Arellano University Chiefs (NCAA fifth placer), the West Negros University Mustangs (Visayas regional champion) and the Holy Trinity College Wildcats (Mindanao regional champion).
The UC Webmasters and USJ-R Jaguars will play in the Cebu zonals starting November 6 to 8, joining Adamson University’s Soaring Falcons (UAAP fifth placer) and San Sebastian College-Recoletos de Cavite’s Baycats (NAASCU champion).

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, SalcedoVillage, 1227 MakatiCity. Or e-mail me at reydgamboa@yahoo.com. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net