THE FLOODS BROUGHT by the weeklong rains in our country are a reflection of our moral decay as a people– for continuing to turn a blind eye on corruption and dishonesty in government and private business; for allowing the continued destruction of our forests and lands through mining and other extractive activities; for throwing our trash wherever we so wish even if ultimately that same garbage would inundates our lands and cause lost lives, displacement of people and disrepair to properties and finally, for always pinning the blame on everyone else.
The landslides, particularly in Baguio and Northern Luzon are caused by loosened soils brought about by excessive logging, mining and lack of urban planning by allowing houses to sprout wherever there is land on seemingly attractive but dangerous slopes.
Of course the inclement weather and the harsh rains that were brought by typhoons and habagat dumped too much water on our roads– but let us face it, the rains augmented our water supply for use by residents, farms and for energy. At least that much we should be grateful for as the added supply can help us survive the dreaded El NIno we might be facing this year and which could lead to water and energy supply shortages.
It is undeniable that some areas of our country– with just a shower or little rainfall go under flood waters simply because the drainage and flood control systems have been denied to the citizens by the greedy politicians (local and national) and their select contractors, who amassed great wealth over the years.
Incidentally, it makes me wonder why the graft busters– the Ombudsman and the anti graft court, the Sandiganbayan– are too soft in dealing with the plunderers and the heartless vultures by even allowing them bail for an otherwise non-bailable offense and for doing enough to capture those that must suffer for their misdeed. What gives, really?
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon exasperatedly described the country’s worsening waste problem as a “garbage crisis,” while calling for a comprehensive master plan to address the issue once and for all.
In a statement, Dizon– after inspecting a huge mountain of garbage retrieved from drainage channels in Parañaque City– said the pile seemed to have been carried and scattered by the high tide the previous day.
Dizon said the site was clear when he passed by on Sunday (when the heavy rains battered the country, non stop) but the volume of garbage had significantly increased by Monday. He said that Parañaque officials told him that it was the first time such a large amount of garbage had accumulated in the area.
He could only mutter in shock: “It was indeed a garbage crisis.” He stressed the need for a decisive and long-term solution to the country’s waste problem.
The accumulation of garbage in waterways was among the major factors contributing to the clogging of drainage systems, canals and esteros, particularly during periods of heavy rain and high tides.
Dizon said the DPWH and other government agencies had been removing large volumes of garbage from waterways as part of the government’s cleanup operations, only for the same garbage problem to return.
He cited information from DPWH Undersecretary Charles Kalima, who oversaw the cleanup operations, that the waterways could be cleared one day only to become filled with garbage again the following day.
He said the situation becomes more difficult when storms raise water levels in Manila Bay, overwhelming drainage and waterway systems already burdened by accumulated waste.
The top DPWH chief said that government resources in Metro Manila had been mobilized to deal with the garbage buildup, including personnel and equipment from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local government units.
He appealed to the LGUs and the public to exercise greater discipline in their waste disposition.
Essentially, individual discipline and recurring cleanup operations could only partially solve the problem but more importantly, the development of a master plan that would address the country’s garbage problem must be comprehensive and good for the long-term.
“We have to fix this now,” otherwise the volume of waste would continue to increase if the government fails to address the problem decisively. The country could no longer afford to allow the garbage problem to persist for decades through repeated cleanup efforts without a permanent solution, he stressed. I agree completely.