Clogged Waterways

CLOGGED WATERWAYS

by Anton Antonio

June 16, 2015

After publishing the article titled “So What Else Is New?” on my blogsite and my Facebook page last June 8, 2015, I became distraught by some of the narratives from my fellow netizens and bloggers.  The commentaries revolved around (a) poor flood control project management, (b) graft and corruption, (c) screwed-up project priorities, (d) failed solid waste management practices, etc.  I should say all these causes are valid and people have the right to whine about the trouble, damage and inconvenience that they have to bear with floods.  The only encouraging light is that people seemed to be well-informed of our current state of affairs.

Wanting to provide a photo to illustrate the biggest reason for the recurring problem of flooding, I started searching and researching.  Finally, I found one which was a photo from a shared link on Facebook by my friend Kerr Viuya Lim of Tarlac City.  (Please see the accompanying photo to this article.)

Meaningful pictures do paint a thousand words.  This particular one shows the volume of solid waste that has been disposed off in this estero and the informal settler dwellings built on this waterway that has shrunk and impeded its ability to provide continuous flow of water/rainwater.

Nature has provided us with rivers, streams, esteros and other forms of waterways as a natural drainage system to prevent flooding.  But these waterways could only function if they are not impeded by infrastructure or used for other unworldly purpose such as a community garbage dump.

No amount of engineering intervention such as the Department of Public Works and Highway’s (DPWH) floor control project will ever work unless these waterways are restored back to their old form… therefore, (a) freed from silt, and (b) cleared and widened from all structures.  Anything less will only result to our perennial problem of flooding cause by clogged waterways.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCE:

Antonio, A. C., (2015). “So What Else Is New?”. Retrieved on June 16, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/2015/06/so-what-else-is-new.html