Explanation for the flooding, cause not linear (no single cause) but systemic

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Causes of flooding in the Philippines

The cause of the flooding has been politicalized and many netizens/ citizens are not thinking properly.  Gone should be the mindset that events are caused in a single direction by single element.  The mindset being advanced (in critical thinking) is that causes are systemic. There are many interrelated elements contributing to result.  Just like the numerous wheels in a clock -  when one or several stop or are damaged the watch stop working.

So with the floods.

Because of the flood control narrative being spread, now it is common for many to say that the graft, the propensity of govt agencies concerned caused the floods.

But an expert pointed out that the solution to the flood control will mean many factors to work on:

     1.  lessening the flow:   reforestation, impounding pounds upstream

     2.  downstream :   dikes, storm drain, flood plains, deltas, pumps, solid waste disposal

     3.   sea:       retaining walls pumping station, 

     4.  safety  and risk mitigation -  remove the residents from flood prone plains and river banks, coastal areas.  

In Pampanga for instance, the almost permanent flood at Hagonoy, Masantol and Macabebe are caused by cofluence of flooding of Pampanga river, blocking of the drain by the NMIA construction, and the high tides all contribute to the flooding.    Raising the street level was band aid solution.     Having floodgates and massive pumps for the Pampanga river, looking at the NMIA blocking the rivers are worth looking into.  

Pampanga is a basin coupled that with the lahar lessening the water carrying capacity of rivers.  And the contribution of the Pampanga river being backfilled by Manila bay tides.   

We have forwarded this knowledge to a developer who wants to develop in an area which is near the rirver and a gulf.  Its elevation seen in Google Earth is at -0.1 meter    Pag naghightide ng 4 meters, lulubog na ang site.  And then blame the govt...... and the politician.  We cant deny also that substandard dike construction lack of master plan for flood control, having projects that really matter, misappropiation (theft) of public funds are also to be blamed.   It is a justified  indignation that people decry trillions did not go into flood alleviation projects. Trillions purportedly for lessening the suffering of peole gone to waste (and we taxpayers are going to foot the loan repayment

For the past two weeks and even yesterday, the volume of rainfall was unusually very high.    Japan, Vietnam, China suffered the same fate like ours.    Wrath of heaven.  (to punish the plunderers?)

Coastal areas will be especially be vulnerable.   Decades ago, sea levels were predicted to be going up due to melting of the poles and the Himalayas peak.     May be we did not listen.  Many  resorts are being built, communities along typhoon prone and flood prone beach fronts.    And now we blame the politicians.   Those who do not follow the CLUP and the building code.  We bribe building officials, we influence the mayor to give relief to no build zones....

Corruption is the omni explanationn for the floods.   Not so

San Fernando Pampanga flooded; Aquino bridge in Tarlac collapses; so much devastation

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San Fernando Pampanga was flooded yesterday;  parts of MacArthur highway were submerged, even the intersection of MacArthur and Gapan Olongapo road.

Part of Aquino bridge in Tarlac City collapses.     These floods were not wrath of corruption, they were wrath of God vs corruption?

Substitute for STP (which is expensive)

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This post has observed that in some areas of the town, there is a dearth of stp, severely affecting the water qualifty that are emptying into the Laguna lake.

About two decades ago, this post learned some cheap diy stp solution:

    1.  Water lily absorbs plenty of waste and spoiled matter from the water.  That is why drying water lily plants smell bad

    2.   DIY filtration sedimentation tank filtration:

          1.  A waterfallls for oxygenation of the water;

          2.  A sedimentation tank

          3.  Filter chamber:      rocks, gravel, fine sand, even charcoal

          UV treats waer

   3.  This post used this in a project where the effluent of a neighboring subdivision fell, and we got fish at the end of the channel from the chambers.  

Impeachment proceedings becoming too technical and boring, only lawyers and wannabees would be interested

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Lately the impeachment proceedings have been too technical and difficult to understand for non lawyers and perhaps its viewership  and readership.    Some say prosecution is leading, some say defense lawyers have been smart in their counterpunch.  

Lately the President Justice has issued a gag order on parties from making comments in their forum soc media account outside of the court.

Whatever the outcome will be we go on with our lives and repair the damages from the typhoon, and help rebuild the economy which languished at 2.3% and peso weakening at Php62: USD1 and unemployment that has risen to more than a million workers. 

Mitigating damages, loss of lives by mitigating risks: stricter building code, ECC regulations, subdivision development, having no build zones observed right

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                                          DILG DHSUD tells LGU enforce no build zones

                                                         No build zones

                                              Developers govt agencies must observe science

One wonders how come we have cyclical experience of flood and other calamities.  We did well with earthquake drills, but not so much in flood conrol and prevention.   We all know the science about that

     1.   Weather forecasting -  it is well done

     2.   Rainfall and flood warning -  well done.

  

But our residents continue to live in flood prone areas, (especially the illegal settlers) there is flooding, there is flood victim relief, temporary shelter, they return to their homes that have been flooded.

   May we suggest:

   1  To relocate those who are in dangerous risky areas:  near creeks, river banks, lakes

   2. Enforce strictly no build zones in the CLUP of LGUs

   3. Enjoin developers to improve their drainage and provide for storm water impounding area.

       Why dont we follow the Ortigas and Ayala way of flood management:   deepen and widen the creek

       What we see with the Cainta Marikina and Antipolo developers is that they even block some of the 

       creek or choke them by making them smaller.

Also the science part shall  the regulators shall not allow development along or near areas:

    1. Where there is low land level or equal to sea level   when there is a high tide

    2.  No build zone in areas where there is cofluence of flood water and tide movements.    As in

         Pampanga, Bulacan:    Balagtas, Hagonoy, Masantol, Macabebe.  Yes there are no build zones by'           LLDA

        DILG Cuy - Enact ordinances as no build zones....

This post remembers the warning of late  Dr.  Raymundo Punongbayan (the Americans left Clark and Subic days ahead of June 12 and 15 eruption because they listened to Punongbayan.  I do)

      1.  Do not build in high altitude area, what is up must come down     (Look at Baguio, Mt Province

           Leyte landslides

      2.  The coastal areas will continue to sink due to global warming:   melting of iceberbs and glaciers.

            How prophetic.

This the company we had avoided building along lakeside, along huge rivers.    Lately flood risk area, with only 2 meters elevation vs the sea  had to be refused and shelved because it will be just like Hagonoy.  

N.B  Recently a local govt agency granted a permit to  set up a 500 KVA high power lines near residential units.   Has the science on EMF low frequency on health been established:   safe or unsafe?