Data from the government shows that the Philippines has been spending about Php1 billion a day on flood control. But why are we still experiencing massive floods?
In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Carina (international name: Gaemi), Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. floated another project to mitigate possible typhoon disasters, naming it a “national flood control plan.”
During a situation briefing last Friday in Mauban, Quezon, the president said, “Let’s prepare for the next flood… Ang tubig hindi nangingilala ng boundary, kaya ang flood control has to be a big plan. There has to be a national [flood control] plan.”
Yet scientists, environmental advocates, and legislators expressed doubts about this so-called “national plan,” noting that the current administration has displayed a “penchant” and “heavy reliance” on flood control infrastructure, which were proven ineffective in thwarting the massive flooding caused by the combined effects of Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon or Habagat in the past week.
“The people have witnessed first-hand how the flood control projects that Marcos Jr. flexed in his SONA are ineffective, which is what we experienced with the massive flooding. Yet we hear that the administration is set to build thousands more of such projects in the coming months,” said Jonila Castro, advocacy officer for environmental group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment.
National flood control program questioned
House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro echoed Kalikasan’s sentiment.
“The Marcos Jr. administration has allotted a drastically high budget for flood control funds in the 2024 budget, but thousands of people were forced to flee to their roofs or evacuate due to the massive floods caused by Super Typhoon Carina,” the solon said.
During a Senate budget hearing last August 2023, data from the Development Budget Coordination Committee revealed that the administration had spent about Php1.079 billion daily on flood control projects.
For 2024, the government has a total Php352.8 billion budget for flood control, of which Php244.5 billion is under the Department of Public Works and Highways’ “flood control program,” and Php104.7 billion is for the construction and maintenance of “flood mitigation structures.”
This amount is even higher than the combined Php341-billion budget of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for 2024.
Rep. Castro is not keen on the president’s proposed “national flood control program,” noting that such a move will entail adding more funds to the already expensive flood control program.
“Kailangang busisiin ito ng todo. Sinasayang nila ang pera ng bayan tapos ganyan pa kapalpak ang nangyayari. Parang si Super Typhoon Carina pa ang nag-fact check kay Marcos. Hindi na dapat maulit ito at dapat may managot sa disaster na nangyari,” Rep. Castro stressed.
Addressing the root causes of flooding
Experts and environmental advocates have long criticized the government’s heavy reliance on structural flood control measures, arguing that these are often band-aid solutions that do not address the root causes of flooding.
Meteorologist Kevin Codoviz of the group Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM) explained that extreme weather events like massive flooding can now be considered the “new normal.”
“Though Typhoon Carina did not make landfall, it enhanced the effects of Habagat, causing heavy rains in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and later Northern Luzon as the typhoon went up to Taiwan. However, this enhanced Habagat event is not new…for the past decade, it’s become the new normal,” Cordoviz explained.
With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, the vulnerability of Metro Manila – crisscrossed by a complex network of river systems including Pasig River and Marikina River – has also increased, he added.
“Due to decades of poor urban planning, environmental degradation, and reclamation projects, Metro Manila has become highly vulnerable to massive flooding…However, the government is just investing in more ‘flood control’ projects, which are palliative band-aid solutions, as they do not address the causes of floods,” Cordoviz said.
Days after the massive flooding in Metro Manila, AGHAM released a paper that criticized the government’s heavy reliance on engineering approaches to solve flooding, a move that has been employed since the American occupation of the Philippines.
“It is important to examine whether these measures work in the context of other types of flooding and to explore methods beyond structural ones to manage flooding in the city,” the paper read.
Prof. Timothy James Cipriano, a geographer and lead author of the AGHAM paper, pointed out that flood control structures only typically address pluvial or street-level flooding but fail to consider other types.
“Flood control structures usually only address pluvial flooding. But take Manila for example. Geographically it’s situated in an alluvial flood plain. Lahat talaga ng tubig na naggagaling sa matataas na lugar sa Metro Manila at kahit doon sa kalapit na probinsya ng Rizal ay napupunta yan pababa at magde-drain papuntang Manila Bay o Laguna Lake. But do our flood interventions consider that?” Cipriano asked.
The AGHAM geographer explained that flooding is a complex phenomenon with several types, including coastal flooding, caused mainly by storm surges, and riverine flooding, caused by overflow of rivers. “Recognizing the differing dynamics of these flood types will provide a better picture of the flood management interventions that should be implemented,” the AGHAM paper stressed.
Solving flooding
Experts and scientists have proposed a multi-faceted approach to address the flooding problem in the Philippines effectively.
According to the AGHAM paper, comprehensive watershed management can significantly mitigate flooding by restoring natural vegetation and preventing deforestation and soil erosion. Such a move involves reforesting upland areas, which helps maintain the natural absorption capacity of the land.
Kalikasan also highlighted the importance of preserving and restoring mangrove ecosystems, which act as natural barriers against storm surges and coastal flooding. “Mangroves not only protect our coastlines from flooding but also support biodiversity and livelihoods,” Castro said. She emphasized that the destruction of these natural buffers due to reclamation and development projects exacerbate flooding risks.
The environmental group said that one of the first steps to address the massive flooding is putting a stop on these “destructive” projects. “Our experience with Typhoon Carina is showing us that the promises of massive reclamation, mining, and mega-dams are huge lies perpetuated by big business and their partners in government. These projects are not solutions but massive problems. They cause severe flooding and destroy the homes and livelihoods of the people. Those behind these projects must be held accountable,” Castro explained.
AGHAM emphasized that proper urban planning is also crucial. Cities must be designed to incorporate green spaces and permeable surfaces that allow rainwater to infiltrate the ground, reducing surface runoff. And in constructing new public infrastructure, the government should also consider if such projects will make communities more vulnerable to disasters, AGHAM said.
“For example, the ongoing infrastructure projects in Metro Manila, like the Pasig River Expressway and other roads, go against the natural set-up of river systems, of the geography, of Metro Manila… The big corporations pushing these projects harm the environment, increase the vulnerability of our cities, and threaten our right to live safely and healthily,” Cordoviz said.
The meteorologist added that “people-centered strategies” should also be employed to address socioeconomic inequalities that force people to live in vulnerable situations.
“Halimbawa, dahil mababa ‘yung minimum wage at walang trabaho sa probinsya, napipilitan silang makipagsapalaran at maghanap-buhay sa Metro Manila. But they are just moving from one hell to another,” he explained.
AGHAM noted transparency and accountability in allocating and utilizing funds for flood control and disaster management are also vital.
“If we are to indeed live in a climate-ready, healthy, and safe environment, we must hold our
leaders and the government accountable for the chronic disasters our cities face. In the long run, the people must struggle to have a government that is responsible and accountable, unlike the present one which victim-blames the people of a flood disaster that itself is responsible,” the group explained.
