YOU must have lived somewhere else all your life if you’re wondering why the majority of the metro’s neighborhoods flood whenever it rains. Floods have been an issue for mankind since the beginning of time, but no “genius” has yet to come up with a solution.
Yes, from childhood to adulthood, we have all witnessed many road improvements all over. Through the years, countless millions of pesos have been spent on them.
And as we go about our everyday activities, the majority of these road projects may have had some impact on us. All of us undoubtedly contribute to these road improvements because we faithfully pay our taxes.
Ironically, we are the ones who suffer whenever these road constructions go awry or when floods suddenly appear out of nowhere during a downpour. You know, rainwater always seeks out ways to drain towards any low lying areas, just like in a roof that is leaking.
For instance, a section of the road in Mandaluyong must periodically be dug up due to the area’s frequent flooding whenever it rains, no matter how little. There were some who claimed that for more than a few decades, the national and local governments had alternately dug the holes.
Every time it rains, make it a point to visit that location to observe the events in person. It always turns into a lake there, and it takes some time for the water to stop.
Yes, trillions have been lost, but the deluge, which affected the entire country as well as the metropolis, could not be stopped. And more trillions are also being lost because of the terrible traffic that this catastrophes caused. The claimed flood mitigation measures that were completed in the past, which were sponsored with trillions of dollars, were simply ignored, and no one even cared to look into whether they had contributed to the solution or had been a waste of money.
What needs to be done? Numerous government and even commercial groups have repeatedly conducted thorough studies on the flooding in the metro area. The implementation of these studies’ recommendations, however, is another matter.
Every time there are floods that cover the entire metro area, a number of “geniuses” always have their own unique answers to the issue. But when the sun shines and the heat sets in, these alleged “solutions” just wilted and were put on hold.