Considering the Philippines’ geographical location, the citizens residing in the country are no stranger to typhoons and heavy rains. Regrettably, with such weather also comes the unfortunate presence of floods. The UNESCO-WMO (1974) defines floods as “a rise, usually brief, in the water level in a stream to a peak from which the water level recedes at a slower rate (as cited in PAGASA, n.d.).”
Flood-prone areas in the Philippines
While floods may occur in most areas of the country, there are select locations wherein floods are almost always sure to occur upon the arrival of heavy rains. Sadly, there are communities residing in most - if not all - of these locations, making floods a very relevant and prominent issue in the country.
In Metro Manila, flood-prone areas include the Pasig Marikina River basin, the West Manggahan, and the CAMANAVA area (Calookan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela). A study focused on communities living in these areas found that about two-thirds of those living in these areas have suffered various losses due to typhoons and floods.
Some flood-prone areas outside Metro Manila include Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Maguindanao, Bulacan, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro, and Ilocos Norte.
Plausible causes behind the heavy floods
After becoming aware of the different flood-prone areas in the country, the question now arises of why these floods often occur in the first place. The main reason that comes to mind for many is the bodies of water surrounding the Philippines.
Nonetheless, besides the country’s geographical location, past Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Singson accounts the heavy floods to three (3) major causes: (1) clogged waterways, (2) old drainage systems, and (3) the great amounts of trash generated by improper waste disposal.
The given reasons are all tied to the slow draining of water during typhoons and rainy seasons, something which would inevitably lead to the presence of flood. A report written by the Metro Manila Development Authority showed that thousands of cubic meters of trash were pulled out of the cities’ drainage systems in the span of only two (2) months.
Considering the large sums of trash generated by the general population daily (approx. 9,213 tons from Metro Manila alone), and the country’s old drainage system, which can no longer take in large sums of water during rainfalls, it is no surprise that there is a lack of an efficient system for prevention and mitigation of floods.
The Philippine government’s response
The Philippine government is no stranger to dealing with these kinds of heavy floods. According to the Asian Development Bank, “An average of 20 typhoons pass through the Philippines each year. Between 2000 and 2016, natural disasters cost the Philippines $20 billion in damage or an average of $1.2 billion annually.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government now requires evacuees to wear face masks and observe proper social distancing within evacuation centers. However, concerns still remain regarding the safety of evacuees because of the tightly packed evacuation centers.
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