The natural occurrences that resulted in environmental disasters in 2011 have taught Filipinos an important lesson: “Take care of the environment, do not ignore it.”
The habit of ignoring the environment in human affairs no longer holds, for several times in 2011, natural disasters have caused the loss of human lives and destruction of property. All sectors of our society, including the national and the local governments must heed the several warnings made by nature itself.
Let me give a specific case study that I am familiar with — the case of Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Dumaguete, prior to 2008, had always been spared miraculously from devastating natural calamities. But in December of 2008, the City was ravaged by flash floods. Little was done about mitigating the effects of future floods.
In February of 2009, another serious flooding occurred. This time, the local government and environmental organizations campaigned for de-clogging of drainage canals. People’s organizations focused on the proper disposal of piles of garbage, which included the non-degradable plastics.
The local government began to be worried about people living in denuded hillsides, and on or near banks of creeks and rivers.
Banica River in Dumaguete had to be cleared of structures and kangkong [water spinach] that impeded the normal flow of flood waters.
The local government failed to persuade many residents from rebuilding their homes in flood-prone areas. According to the City Administrator, the reason was lack of available relocation sites on higher ground.
In brief, not enough was done to mitigate future flooding events. Maybe at that time, our people and the public officials thought that climate change is just a big joke! (It is real!)
On Dec. 17, 2011, Tropical Storm Sendong unleashed huge amounts of rainfall within a few hours causing the most devastating floods in Dumaguete and the nearby towns of Bacong, Sibulan, and San Jose within a period of four years, 2008-2011.
The flood also affected the high-elevation town of Valencia. This flood destroyed many houses, rendering thousands of people homeless, and caused the deaths of more than 40 people.
This time I hope we have learned enough lessons.
Based on topography, Dumaguete and environs are situated in an area where the altitude rises steeply within a short distance of some 10 kilometers, as the crow flies.
In the west, Cuernos de Negros, a 6,300-foot high mountain, collects the heavy downpour brought about by the northeast monsoon on its eastern slope, which has been denuded up to an altitude of more than 3,000 feet halfway to the mountain top, and which caused the swift-flowing and devastating flood in the morning of Dec. 17, 2011.
There are several factors that exacerbate flooding in the Dumaguete area. One factor is the deforestation of the eastern slopes of Cuernos de Negros (Mt. Talinis).
In this connection, has PNOC brought back the original forest that was there before the building of the geothermal plant? Has the reforestation with native and endemic species been done in the area? What have the local governments done to replace the original forest? These questions need to be revisited — now!
The second factor is that before the Sendong event, rains had fallen, soaking the ground. During the typhoon, the rain water could no longer percolate into the ground, resulting in flooding.
The third factor is the status of the environment of Valencia town, from which run-off water partly originates.
Has there been over-development in the town, causing a decrease of water percolation in the soil, so that rainwater, instead of sinking into the soil, runs off because so much area has been converted to concrete?
In this connection, is it not in the interest of Dumaguete and other lowland towns to talk together with Valencia to plan for the management of water resources?
In fact, water is one important commodity to be looked into for purposes of management, as it is very important for life but at the same time, dangerous if not controlled and properly harnessed as Tropical Storm Sendong clearly demonstrated.
By the way, is the committee on water resources of the Province still active?
The fourth factor is improper disposal of garbage and trash. The recent flooding, which carried so much solid waste down to the beaches, gave evidence that solid waste management of Dumaguete and Valencia needs to be improved. Here, it is important that people must cooperate for the good of everybody.
Fifth, the canals along the road systems and in the town proper need to be unclogged, cleared of man-made structures, and deepened as needed.
Finally, the people should have the discipline, without being reminded by local governments, to stay out of areas prone to flooding and erosion, and to follow the law. Discipline is what we lack. Our people are becoming notable for violating laws as well as the rules of good behavior.
Unless we become law-abiding, we will all succumb to climate change, our natural “enemy,” which is beyond our control.
