Floods: The new epidemic

The recent flooding of the North Luzon Expressway in San Simon, Pampanga, serves as a wake-up call to the worsening environmental situation in the area. This region is part of the Candaba Swamp, which acts as a natural flood retention basin, holding the overflow from five smaller rivers before draining into the Pampanga River. The Pampanga River, in turn, flows into Manila Bay, creating a complex network that leads to perennial flooding in the towns of Pampanga, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija.

The ongoing infrastructural transformations in the Manila Bay area, such as massive reclamation projects and the construction of the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan, raise concerns about their impact on the already vulnerable environmental conditions. Environmental Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga suggests suspending the reclamation projects until a comprehensive evaluation of their cumulative impact is conducted. However, companies involved in the reclamation projects argue that they have complied with all regulations and possess environmental compliance certificates (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Floods have become a new epidemic in the Philippines and many other regions around the world. Frequent flooding is affecting nations across Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Europe. The Philippines is no exception, with towns in Bulacan and Pampanga remaining flooded for decades, particularly after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo 32 years ago, which significantly altered river basins and reversed floodwater flows. In addition, the loss of mangroves and overextraction of groundwater have contributed to land subsidence and further flooding.

The boiling frog syndrome illustrates people’s limited response to slow-onset disasters like rising floodwaters. When faced with intermittent floods, individuals tend to overlook the gradual changes and underestimate the long-term implications. Communities alongside Manila Bay have constructed dikes and dams, incrementally raising the level of roads to combat the floods, but these measures have hindered water from receding and exacerbated the situation.

Immediate onset disasters, like earthquakes or sudden flash floods, prompt immediate action and emergency responses. In contrast, slow-onset disasters unfold gradually, and their effects may not be immediately apparent, leading to delays in taking collective action. The boiling frog syndrome is particularly evident in areas where slow-rising floodwaters occur intermittently, as people tend to consider the floods manageable and focus on short-term fixes.

The floods not only disrupt lives, livelihoods, and economies but also have significant health implications, bringing diseases like leptospirosis and athlete’s foot. Additionally, floods erode confidence in government officials and collective strategies for disaster response, reinforcing the belief that it is every person for himself.

The mandate from the Supreme Court to clean up Manila Bay, including its rivers, was a game-changing order. However, the objective should go beyond mere cleanup for aesthetic and recreational purposes. It should encompass mitigation actions to reverse environmental damage and prevent further flooding in the Bulacan and Pampanga region.

The lack of attention to floods in government discourse, such as in President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address, reflects the perception that floods are a transient problem. This attitude needs to change. Slow-onset disasters like floods demand proactive and sustained efforts to mitigate risks and build resilience. To combat the flood epidemic, a collective approach involving regional, provincial, city, and municipal authorities is essential.

The science community and academia should engage with national disaster risk reduction and management officials in helping local communities understand their challenges and come up with feasible and sustainable flood management strategies.

The global typhoon and flood crisis have made floods a new epidemic, affecting communities worldwide, including the Philippines. The recent flooding in San Simon serves as a reminder to inconvenienced motorists and townsfolk of the worsening environmental situation in the region. The ongoing infrastructural developments in the Manila Bay area raise serious concerns about their impact on flooding. At the level of civic engagement, the absence of the ability and readiness for community self-mobilization must be reversed so people can respond effectively to slow-onset disasters.

To address this crisis, a holistic approach is required, involving local communities and government authorities. Mitigation efforts should go beyond cleaning up Manila Bay to reverse environmental damage and prevent future flooding. Recognizing floods as a persistent and pervasive flagship concern by the government at the national and local levels is key to building resilience and finding sustainable solutions not only to the flood epidemic but those myriad vexations that defeat and stultify the Filipinos’ collective spirit and action.

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