EVERY RAINY SEASON, Filipinos brace themselves for familiar scenes: highways submerged, families stranded on rooftops, schools converted into evacuation centers.
Indeed, flooding has become a way of life in the Philippines—a tragic normal that successive administrations have promised to solve.
Year after year, we hear about mega-billion-peso flood control projects. Massive contracts are awarded for pumping stations, dikes, river walls, and road elevation schemes, revetments, etc.
Yet, despite these shiny new infrastructures, one heavy downpour is enough to expose the cracks —both literal and figurative— in our approach to flood mitigation.
The uncomfortable truth is this: billions have been spent, but the water has nowhere to go.
THE MESS WE’RE IN
Many of these grand projects end up delayed, poorly maintained, or worse, riddled with corruption.
Headlines about “ghost” flood control projects or overpriced materials are not uncommon. The result is a cycle of wasted taxpayer money year in year out, unfinished structures, and communities that remain underwater.
But perhaps the biggest flaw lies not only in governance but in priorities. Authorities often equate flood control with concrete—walls, canals, and pumping stations—while ignoring the simple, cost-efficient, natural solution staring us in the face: DESILTATION.
When will we stop drowning in both water and wasted promises … and billions of flood money?
WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW
What is Siltation?
Siltation happens when fine particles—soil, sand, clay, and sediments—accumulate in rivers, lakes, dams, and esteros.
These materials are usually washed down from upland areas due to deforestation, mining, quarrying, and unregulated construction. Over time, the natural depth of waterways is drastically reduced.
Imagine a river that was once 10 meters deep but is now only 5 meters because of decades of silt build-up. Its water-carrying capacity is effectively cut in half. During heavy rains, the river overflows much faster, spilling into nearby communities.
The problem is compounded in urban areas, where waterways are further clogged by garbage and informal structures. Instead of free-flowing arteries that channel rainwater into the sea, our rivers have become shallow basins where floodwater stagnates.
ROLE OF DESILTATION
Desiltation is the process of removing these sediments and restoring waterways to their natural depth and capacity. It can be done mechanically through dredging or manually in smaller creeks and esteros.
The benefits are immediate and tangible:
Flood Reduction: By restoring rivers to their original depth, their volume capacity increases, reducing the risk of overflow.
Improved Drainage: Desilted esteros and canals allow rainwater to flow more freely toward bigger rivers and eventually to the sea.
Environmental Health: Clearing waterways revives aquatic ecosystems, allowing fish and other species to thrive again.
Agricultural Support: Irrigation canals free from silt provide farmers with consistent water supply for their crops.
In countries like the Netherlands, Japan, and Singapore —nations lauded for their flood management— regular desiltation and dredging form the backbone of their water management systems. It’s preventive, not reactive.
COST OF NEGLECT
Consider Metro Manila’s Pasig River, Marikina River, and the labyrinth of esteros that once served as the city’s drainage lifeline. Many of them are now half their original depth. Imagine the millions of liters of lost water capacity—that is floodwater spilling onto roads, schools, and homes.
Neglecting desiltation doesn’t just cause flooding; it also devastates livelihoods. Fisherfolk in Laguna de Bay, Pampanga, and Cavite have long complained of dwindling fish catches because of silted rivers.
Farmers lose harvests when irrigation canals are clogged. Families lose homes when rivers overflow.
A CALL FOR SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
Flood control should not just be about building more walls. It should be about restoring the natural capacity of our rivers and streams.
A comprehensive desiltation program, supported by local governments and communities, could save lives and billions in damage.
Yes, infrastructure has a role —but it must go hand in hand with clearing our waterways, relocating communities from danger zones, and enforcing strict environmental laws against dumping and encroachment.
The Filipino people deserve more than lip service and photo-op projects. We deserve real solutions—solutions that may not be flashy but are effective.
If the government is truly serious about addressing floods, it must start with the basics: clean our rivers, dredge our esteros, and restore the veins of our land.
Only then will we stop drowning in both water and wasted promises (and billions of flood money).