I have realized a few important things in the aftermath of recent Typhoon. Instead of just giving out relief goods, it’s important to focus on long-term solutions.
In low-lying areas, especially in newly developed subdivisions, residential units should not be sold without careful site analysis and environmental impact studies. Many low-cost and mid-level housing developments proceed without proper study. Some villages have altered natural waterways and terrain for mass housing development. Government housing agencies should regulate this, but they don’t. It’s unclear what happened with their mandate.
In the short term, natural disasters are sometimes seen as funding opportunities by politicians and leaders. There needs to be a long-term plan to address the real issues. For example, houses shouldn’t be allowed in riverbanks. We need to learn from annual catastrophes and enforce laws that prohibit illegal settlers from encroaching on natural waterways. Instead of building ineffective dikes along waterways and riverbanks, we can develop parks for potential attractions.
We need to discourage the creation of expensive but ineffective dikes, as they can increase water velocity and pressure. Some dikes have caused increased flood levels. We should involve environmentalists and urban planners in decision-making, as they can think ahead. With more than 20 typhoons each year, the government should learn from past experiences.
It’s our resilience that sometimes prevents us from demanding what we deserve. For example, the construction on Kambal road in San Mateo Rizal took almost a decade to recover and has been a source of profit for contractors and politicians. We need to file proper complaints to urge the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to address poor construction work.
As an architect, I believe we need to enforce stricter ordinances on housing and residential development in low-lying areas. We also need to incorporate new housing and building designs that are typhoon and flood-proof. Some solutions include promoting typhoon-resilient house designs and encouraging the use of permeable pavement surfaces to reduce stormwater accumulation.
- SanMateo #flooding #flooding2024 #SanMateoRizal #SanMateoRizalLGU #SanMateoRizalPIO #DPWH #typhoon #FloodResilience #floodproof #CalamityFund #calamity #BangonPilipinas #BangonPinas
