Heavy rains that came with Typhoon Ondoy wrecked

havoc in the vast areas of Metropolis and nearby provinces of

Rizal, Laguna and Bulacan. Until now many low-lying places
are still submerged with filthy and muddy waters. Waters may
recede, probably in 2 months' time, but the flood problem will
pester without end.
We now come face-to-face with the reality of such a man-made calamity of wide
magnitude as the result of decades of abuse of environment. We can call it criminal
neglect. Then lineup each one of ourselves as culprits who have collectively
committed the said monstrous act.
The government failed in its task to implement an honest-to-goodness flood control
program. t failed to regulate and preserve the mountains and vegetation areas of
Rizal. The once forested areas were turned into subdivisions, golf courses and
recreation sites. No wonder there is erosion that results to mudflowwhen heavy rain
comes.
Despite being prone to flooding, valleys of Marikina, low-lying areas of Pasig, Cainta
and other parts of Eastern Rizal were sprawled with villages and commercial
buildings in utter disregard of proper zoning control. Land developers willfully and
unmindfully defaced waterways causing flushflood and mudflownot only in lowlands
but even in the elevated hills of Antipolo Valley-La Colina. Have we forgotten Cherry
Hills tragedy?
This is crazy. By simply looking at the Cadastral maps of Rizal province would reveal
that natural waterways have either disappeared or severely constricted. This
thievery of public domain is unconscionable. And it is condoned by the government.
But in law, waterways can be summarily restored, illegal structures can be summarily
demolished, if the government so decides.
Fishpen structures proliferate in Laguna Lake. The shores of Angono, Taytay and
Cainta have become haven of informal dwellers and the dumping sites which
aggravated the problem. The lagoon has weakened its capacity to absorb volumes of
water as it is nowheavily silted with mud, industrial and domestic refuse.
We complain with lack of adequate drainage and sewage system. But where do we
habitually throwthe cigar buts, candy wrappers and napkins? Floods have worsened
because we dump our garbage in esteros and in the already constricted waterways.
n various ways and varying degrees, all of us are part of the problem.
Clearly, we can reverse the tide of the flooding problem only with political will of the
government and socio-civic response of the citizenry.
Jose Rufo Fernandez
Ad Hoc Committee Chair
Alliance of Rizaleos for ntegrity &Social Enlightenment (ARSE!)
8 Oct. 2010
LFE AND FAMLY
GOD AND COUNTRY