Following the widespread floods in the aftermath of a series of cyclones that struck the country, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum urged Filipino engineers to move beyond isolated flood control measures and adopt a broader, science-based approach to managing river systems to effectively address flooding during the monsoon season.
“What we need to have is integrated flood management,” Solidum said, noting the need for a comprehensive view that examines “the whole watershed from the mountains down to the rivers, to the shoreline.”
The issue of flood control has returned to the spotlight following the remarks of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on corruption plaguing such projects during his State of the Nation Address, which have drawn criticism against congressional leaders accused of inserting flood control projects willy-nilly, without proper consultation with experts or public works officials.
Solidum noted that flood control was merely the “narrow part of flood management,” as most existing projects focus solely on regulating water near settlements. There are different types of flooding, he stressed, which require different approaches in order to minimize high waters in the neighborhoods.
Citing major waterways, such as the Pampanga and Agno Rivers, he explained that traditional engineering solutions like barriers and diversion structures, often fail to resolve deeper issues such as siltation.
He cited other factors such as garbage and soil erosion, along with the long term threats that come with sea level rise and climate change.
After all our experience with worsening floods throughout the years, from highly urbanized to rural areas, our public officials should’ve figured out by now that piecemeal and kneejerk responses are simply no longer enough. Areas that have a common geography, such as those along rivers and flood plains, should already have long term, science-based, and solutions that considers everything, including the topography and climate, from the mountain to the sea. Just as floodwaters know no boundaries, such plans should be immune to territorial disputes, politics, and term limits.
The big question is whether or not we will ever have such ambitious flood control measures.*
