Don’t blame God and govt for the floods

WE, Filipinos, never really learn that the garbage we throw carelessly into the streets eventually retard the flow of rainwater along creeks and rivers, through pumping stations, and into the Manila Bay or Laguna de Bay.

The consequence is flooding, particularly in Metro Manila, that results in damage to property and sometimes loss of lives.

“Metro Manila, the center of economy and trade in the Philippines and home to about 15 million people, has suffered recurrent flooding resulting in adverse consequences to people’s lives and the economy,” according to the May 2017 executive summary of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the Metro Manila Flood Management Project funded by the World Bank.

“The effects of a changing climate, an increased frequency of stronger typhoons and storm rainfall, coupled with sea-level rise, lead to a higher level of flood risk to Metro Manila,” according to the assessment summary.

People on board public transport navigating through the flooded streets of the metropolis are often heard blaming the government for its lack of action over the recurring floods that inundate many parts of the National Capital Region—Metro Manila and nearby provinces—during the rainy season. One avid Facebook user could not believe that some people even blamed God for the flooded streets last week as a result of the enhanced monsoon rains while Typhoon Gorio was barreling its way over the Pacific Ocean.

 

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