Reminders from little brother ‘Ondoy’

“Life is a game of chess, wrote Benjamin Franklin. Chess is life, according to Bobby Fischer. Just apply the lessons with love, patience and understanding. And passion. The whole world is the chessboard, the space that holds the chessmen, each an independent piece, but collectively interlinked in all they do. Like in real life, the play never ends. Every move counts, every turn a lesson.” — Odette Alcantara (1940-2009)

MANILA, Philippines – One of our fundamental planning problems is that most of what we now use as residential areas in Metro Manila were parts of floodplains and riverbeds. Subdivisions were built on former wetlands, rivers and creeks, which were “forced” to become straight, or cemented over to become roads or to create more space for sale.

People cement over open spaces and natural vegetation, destroying the earth’s capacity to drain storm water naturally. Simply put, we are in the way of the natural landscape processes in our very fragile and geologically young archipelago.

Flooding is a natural process. Floods bring nutrients to ecosystems along waterways and make it possible for various forms of life to thrive.

Floodplains

Problems start when settlements sprout on floodplains, or when people insist on tampering with the natural shape of rivers and tributaries. Builders insist on making water travel in a straight line instead of slowing it down by following the river’s natural curves.

When we cover the earth with concrete, it loses its ability to absorb rainwater. It is not only trees that help us prevent floods; water runoff is also absorbed by the various types of indigenous vegetation, like grasses and shrubs that grow along riverbanks.

Tropical storm “Ondoy” is a reminder that rivers have been here before us. It reminds us that we’ve been remiss in trying to find long-lasting solutions to the problems of urban settlements. We’ve simply allowed developers to cover too many wetlands.

We’ve also allowed ourselves to buy into their concept of development and be seduced by the idea of the “house-and-lot” dream.

This dream made our cities sprawl out and obliterated natural waterways with the roads that had to lead to them. These very roads made us buy cars so that we could get to our homes. This increased pollution, carbon emissions and caused more roads to be built. Subdivisions near the hinterland and in former agricultural lands or wetlands even displaced rural people and increased land prices.

Roads turn into rivers

The images from the aftermath of Ondoy were very telling. On the one hand, roads turned into rivers, houses submerged by mud and cars being carried away by currents.

On the other, images of people helping one another were very inspiring.

Perhaps, we can harness that community spirit in preventing disasters from happening again. We could start by rethinking where we live and how we live. We could compel authorities to ensure that those who wish to settle in marginal land because they want to be near their jobs are given a chance to live in safer areas.

It may mean the end of the practice of gated communities that tend to be homogenous and therefore keep the poor out.

It could mean the start of new forms of communities, where the rich, the middle class and the poor live right next to each other so that all are out of harm’s way. It’s not yet too late. More generations will inherit the earth. If we start now, we will be doing our grandchildren a favor.

Way forward

Many people may not be prepared to look beyond their basic survival needs. It is too easy to be mired in helplessness (what’s the use of thinking ahead?) or be angry at the slow pace of developing new solutions or designs.

There is no perfect solution, no perfect house design, no perfect institutional setup and no perfect early-warning system.

It doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t respect our environment just because it’s imperfect and uncomfortable. I say that because the best way we can live on this planet is to get to know it very well, so that whatever we add to or subtract from it will not destroy Earth.

So how does one have a better quality of life after Ondoy? Here are some pointers and practices I’d like to share. I can come up with a long list, but right now, let me focus on two questions that I am often asked: What kind of house is best and where should we live?

I have always been a big fan of houses on stilts because they are most appropriate for our tropical climate. A house on stilts or one raised from the ground by posts also offers some protection from flooding.

‘Bahay-kubo’ strategy

There is wisdom in our bahay kubo where the ground floor is not used as a living area. You could say that the silong (or underside of the house) was our early climate-adaptation strategy. Not only did it protect people from flooding, it also allowed natural ventilation to cool the house.

However, no matter how well-built your house is, it will not help you survive in a vulnerable area.

So let me get to the harder part of my checklist on how to move on after Ondoy.

As I write this, people are working on (or are unearthing, pardon the pun) studies that show areas in Metro Manila where settlements should be prohibited. I don’t want to be the one telling you this, but there is a chance that many of us will have to abandon old neighborhoods or redevelop them so that they become less vulnerable. And I am not talking about filling up low-lying areas or building dikes on the riverside.

Ecological restoration

There is a practice called ecological restoration, which involves giving back to nature its capacity to regenerate.

This means that some riverbanks will be allowed to go back to their natural shape (meandering) and the concrete removed from certain areas to allow water to be absorbed more quickly by the soil. Indigenous tree species will have to be planted. Why indigenous? Because they have the best chance of survival. Trees are not our only defense against flooding or its ill effects. Shrubs, grasslands and wetlands (yes, that swamp in your backyard) also serve as sponges that absorb and filter storm water.

For too long, the conventional wisdom in Metro Manila seem to have been to pour concrete on muddy areas, without thinking that there is a reason why these are muddy. They are nature’s warning signs and sometimes we cannot build a strong enough dike or a big enough drainage system because a lot of areas are naturally under water.

When we dump filling materials on low-lying areas (another loathsome practice) we don’t really solve anything. We just displace water and flooding occurs somewhere else. Eventually, flooding comes back to your place.

Inspect property

I’m pointing this out because a lot of people have been duped into buying property in low-lying areas, riverbanks or creeksides and given the false hope that they can increase the elevation of their property by using filling materials.

So, if you’re a prospective buyer, inspect the property before purchasing it. Also, do a tour of the area. After all, you may have a river for a neighbor. Never believe anyone who refers to a river as dead. (How often have I heard this term. Ay, wala na ’yan. Matagal na ’yang hindi dinadaan ng tubig. Lagyan na lang ng kalsada, tambakan na lang, etc.)

I do not wish to leave people with a scenario in which they cannot be in control.

So let me leave you with one thought – there is something you can do and there are people you can rely on. But first you have to rely on yourselves. Organize your communities, look beyond your own yards and know your impact on the environment. All of us will have to make lifestyle choices that respect the environment.

Quick list

* Do not build up to the edges of your property. Make sure you have soil and vegetation all around you so that the soil drains properly. Resist the temptation to pave everything on site with concrete. Consider using stepping stones or grass pavers instead.

* Do not assume that it is safe to build on the edges of any waterway. Do not rely on the law on easements to protect you. Even if it allows a five-meter easement and you see that it cannot be built on without raising its elevation, consider it unbuildable. If nobody buys these pieces of land, our developers will be forced to rethink and redo their plans.

* If you have empty lots in your vicinity, work with your neighborhood to plant them with appropriate vegetation, which prevents erosion, helps in water absorption on rainy days and lessen heat radiation in the dry season.

* We said it before and we’ll say it again. Reduce, reuse and recycle. Learn how to compost, so you’ll have a healthy garden. Do not be afraid of vegetation and the insects and creepy crawlies that come with them. They will be your early warning system for approaching calamities.

(Anna Maria M. Gonzales is an architect, environmental planner, writer and birder. She’s the master planner of the Balanga City Wetland and Nature Park, and space planner for the renovation of the Ateneo School of Government in Quezon City. She’s also the local governance and participation consultant/monitoring officer for Naga, Legazpi and San Fernando, La Union of the Project Management Office for the Urban Partnerships for Sustainable Upliftment, Renewal, Governance and Empowerment Project of Philssa and the World Bank.)

How to add to the database

* You need to have a Gmail account and sign in.

* Then press the edit button and add the placemark. For accuracy, zoom in until you see the houses clearly before plotting the location.

* Input the flood heights as the title and follow the legends below.

* To edit/change the icon, click the image/icon at the right side of the title bar.

“When completed, this can serve as a guide for identifying future floods in Metro Manila and can validate flood simulations,” said Alfredo Mahar Lagmay of the UP (NIGS).

Fast Facts

455 millimeters
Amount of rainfall dumped by Storm Ondoy in 24 hours

391.7 ml
Average rainfall in Metro Manila for the entire September

288
Number of people killed by Ondoy (As of Oct. 2)

P5.2 billion Estimated cost of damage

10,214
Number of houses destroyed or damaged

726
Number of evacuation centers (As of Oct. 1)

3.2 million
Number of people affected

Sources: Inquirer Archives, Pagasa, NDCC
–Anna Maria M. Gonzales, Philippine Daily Inquirer