What we can do next (a repost from Chuvaness).

MANILA – Government agencies and private developers are jointly liable for the massive loss of life and property in several Metro Manila cities for practicing poor urban planning and allowing commercial and residential structures to be built in flood-prone areas, according to “green” architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr.

Palafox said a 1977 World Bank-funded study identified Marikina Valley, the western shores of Laguna de Bay, and the Manila Bay coastal area as among development areas that should prepare for flooding, earthquakes and possible changes in topography.

The Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (Metroplan), which was finalized by Hong Kong-based consulting firm Freeman Fox and Associates, has been used as a blueprint by urban planning developers and various government agencies and urban planners. Unfortunately, he said corruption and lack of planning has led to the shelving of some of the plan’s recommendations.

“You see the irony here. National government agencies are aware that there is a flooding level of so many meters, then another national government agency would approve subdivision plans for only nine-meter high houses. There are about 32 signatures to obtain just to do a development project. It’s like an obstacle course,” he said in an ANC interview last Tuesday.

He said the Metroplan addressed flood-mapping in Metro Manila, specifically after the massive typhoon in 1970. He said the Metroplan included the construction of the Manggahan Floodway, which would divert floodwaters from reaching Metro Manila by diverting the water to the Laguna Lake.

Proposed Parañaque spillway (in red) to flush out the excess water to the Laguna Bay and South China Sea

“There was supposed to be a Parañaque spillway to flush out the excess water to the Laguna Bay and South China Sea, but this was never done. It was part of the recommendation,” he said.

Palafox said the study recommended the monitoring of the Marikina Riverbank so that the water would not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure should have been allowed within 9 meters from the riverbank, he added.

Marikina Riverbank

The architect said he is currently working with Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando on several development projects in the city. He said that in Marikina, structures should be built above 17 meters which is above the maximum flood level of the city.

This is the reason why SM Marikina, which he helped design, was built on stilts, with the lower level of the mall used only for parking and all the shops on higher levels.

“In Marikina, instead of nine-meter high buildings you go upward and build a boulevard with dikes. All subdivisions should go medium-rise or high-rise and there should no longer be individual houses. It should be mixed use. You live upstairs, you work in the middle and you shop downstairs, just like Paris,” he said.

Manila like Paris

Palafox said that in 1905, American architect Daniel Burnham envisioned building Manila like the city of Paris. “He said it should be designed like Paris beside the River Seine, like Manila beside Pasig River. He said the esteros of Manila could be like the canals of Venice. We were alright until the 1940s when the Americans left and then we adopted wrong models of urban planning,” he said.

River Seine

As an architect, he said he often tells potential clients that they should practice due diligence and look at the 100-year flood history of a potential development area before starting construction. He lamented, however, that some short-sighted clients would only look at the 25-year flood history of an area since the planned structures are not built to last.

“We are always reacting to crisis. It bothered me when I saw these reports and pictures and people are saying it’s an act of God. It’s not. It’s us not following the plans and proposals. If you are an urban planner, an environmental planner, these have been planned as early as 1905,” he said.

He said that to address the problem of flooding, the government should consider “vertical urbanism” and build more high-rises instead of “horizontal urbanism.”

He criticized the lack of coordination among government agencies and cited the EDSA corridor as a prime example of how urban planning has failed in the Philippines.

“I did a study in Harvard on the EDSA corridor on how not to do a city. You have high-transit stations surrounded by low-gated communities and low-density military camps. How do you make people walk to it?” he said.

He said that to address the problem of climate change and future flooding in the Philippines, urban planners should start redesigning cities in the country by looking at the lessons of the past and seeing what other countries are doing.

“In a crisis like this, it’s an opportunity to be creative and learn. Technology can address these problems,” he said.

With a report from Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News

(reposting from Lui)

Project 100 targets to produce 100 bags of relief goods, which will be distributed to Our Lady of Parish in Sta. Elena, Marikina City. We will coordinate with the parish priest to help us with logistics and all. Our efforts won’t end with our relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

Here is the list of items of that we’re going to put in each bag:

4 Mega Sardines x 11.60
3 Payless Chicken x 5.65
1 Champion Bar x 17.80
1 Zest x 11.20
1 Sunsilk (6 sachets) x 21.50
1 Green Cross Alc (150mL) x 20.90
5 Bread Pan x 3.60
1 Katol x 12.00
3 Bottled Water x 6.50
1k Rice x 25.00
TOTAL = Php209.25

Project 100 is open to EVERYONE and ANYONE! You can forward this to your friends. They may want to solicit a bag (or bags!), donate in cash or give us a hand in repacking.

P.S.

If you know someone who works in a pharma company and/or drugstore, or owns one, please ask if they can donate anti-fungal creams. Refuge Centers need deluge of anti-fungal creams because many evacuees are suffering from Athlete’s Foot due to exposure to flood and mud. We want to prevent Leptospirosis outbreak.

Keep on spreading the love and hope,

Louie Marcelo, Tin Manzano, Loren Maymay and Kax Uson

Just posting to say that our family’s fine. We got through ok. Our house was more than a meter above street level so the water was only knee level at the highest area in our house (plus we have an attic so we had somewhere dry to go and we can go straight to our roof should we need to). Our furnitures, cars, and my dad’s clinic were all wiped out. A lot of things got destroyed but we managed to save our beds, clothes, computers, cameras and most importantly our dogs and ourselves. We had food and water that lasted until Monday and we didn’t have to scrimp to make it last. We were lucky. Others weren’t.

Material things we can replace, lives we can’t. So I’m glad to find that families and friends are all accounted for. Still waiting for word from a few but I’ve heard from other friends that they’re ok. I hope.

We’ll post about the ordeal the next time. Right now I’m all about trying to get our lives back on track immediately so I can help out without having to worry about my own home. It’s easier that way. We’re almost done.

To friends/family who need help, please let me know how we can assist you. We’ll do the best we can.

To friends/family who texted/called/dropped by and were worried… THANK YOU! You have no idea how much that meant to us.

To neighbors who tried to cross the raging flood water thinking we needed rescue, our many thanks. We really can’t thank you enough.

It was a long weekend. But as I was saying we got lucky. There are others who had it 100x worse than we did.

I didn’t write a word of this. I’m just reposting what I read from a blog I chanced upon. This is why we should vote.

Randy David was the first to admit that it seems more logical not to care about politics. “There are more important matters, such as philosophy and the academe,” he said. It’s funny how the “presidentiables” (that’s Filipino-English right there) are championing democracy when in a Southeast Asian survey, it was the Filipinos who had the least faith in democracy. And to think we were the first Republic in Asia dating back to 1898. But, Prof. David said, we must “understand the promise of politics,” which he defines as, “a mechanism by which society produces collectively blinding decisions.” For the 2010 elections, he advised us not to seek personal traits (“maka-Diyos,” “mabait,” “hindi corrupt,” etc.) but ideas, visions, plans, and programs. We should ask the candidates what their vision for the Philippines is 6, 10, 20 years from now. When Noynoy announced his presidency, the questions were, “Ikakasal ka na ba?” and “What does Kris think of your decision?” Oh kamon! One of the last questions was, “What do you intend to do if you win?” Bakit yun ang huli? Diba dapat yun ang una? Prof. David also reminded us that “making a difference” is not limited to writing down names on a piece of paper come May 10, 2010. It’s also about making an informed decision. (Hold that thought, more on that in a bit.)

RM Awardee and governor of Isabela Grace Padaca is a living legend because she had the guts to go against the 30-40 year political dynasty of the Dys in Isabela. Dy-nasty, she calls it. She was a radio commentator in Isabela for over a decade and one day, she just got tired of listening to people’s problems and people who just bitched and didn’t do anything. She declared to her friends that she would run for the 2001 elections. “Sige Grace, takbo ka!” her friend said enthusiastically. “Kasi alam mo, gustong-gusto ka ng katulong namin!” Well, that katulong along with 55% of the people of Isabela elected Gov. Padaca in 2004. Since then she has paid off 90% of her province’s debt and stopped illegal logging in the Sierra Madre. She doesn’t buy the “I’m not gonna run for public office ‘cause I’m too smart to” mentality. “Then you will be ruled by those who are not,” she said.

Ms. Bianca Lapuz must have said “noh?” in every other sentence. Aside from this linguistic nuisance, she made several salient points. First, that seeking change does not begin and end at voting. “Ang dami nating gustong igiba, wala naman tayong gustong itayo. Ang dami nating gustong tanggalin, wala naman tayong gustong ipalit.” Well said. We can’t wait for inspiring leaders, we have to create an “inspiring movement.” She also said that all the politicians are trapos**, but if they’re willing to seek reform, why not support them? She also talked about junking the “I won’t vote ‘cause I’m moving out of this shithole anyway” mentality because even if you are ten thousand miles away, you will still remit to this country. So kahit nasa Amerika ka o Saudi o kahit anong lupalop ng mundo ka, nakatali parin ang pusod mo sa Pilipinas (insert evil laugh here). Kaya care ka nalang diba?

I loved every minute of Atty. Leonen’s presentation. He commented on the rules that would make one eligible for presidential candidacy. “Must be able to read and write” yung isa diba? FYI to be a UP professor you must first be an instructor (may levels pa ‘yan), get an MA, get published to be promoted to associate professor, get a Ph. D then get published again to be a full professor. “Mukhang kulang yata yung ‘read and write,’” he commented. He then proceeded to show 25 questions answerable by yes or no, meant for anyone who is aspiring for a national political position. (At dapat sagutan sa blue book. Oh yes. HONOR EXCELLENCE!) Directions: “You are to answer this question by yourself without any assistance from any of your immediate family (whether or not deceased), consultants, political or media handlers.” For the Preliminaries, the examinee must provide “reasons for wanting to apply (please avoid the words “change,” “democracy,” “true,” “good,”… “legacy,”…”god told me.”)” The final note: “You do not have to apply simply because your parents wanted you to do so. Again, whether or not deceased. Good luck!” WOOHOO! Isang masigabong palakpakan! The twenty-five questions were on the current issues the country is facing: healthcare, political settlement with the MILF, revising the national flag and language to accommodate provinces/languages other than the Tagalog, imposing carbon taxes, negotiations with the European Union, suspension of Burma from the ASEAN, and the abrogation*** of the DENR to name a few. “If you do not know what ‘abrogation’ means, then you probably have no business running for the Congress, Senate, or President.” Awesome.

I like what Atty. Leonen said in the end: “Don’t treat me like I’m a statistic.” Because I’m not. And neither are you. We’re human beings capable of thinking, questioning conventions, and making informed decisions. After the forum, I realized that it’s not true when people say “vote ‘cause your vote counts.” Your vote, your ONE vote, won’t count. However, if you read up, engage in intelligent political conversations, blog, Tweet, use your Facebook status and convince other people to register and collectively support a candidate, then you can make a difference. If everyone gives importance to their vote, then you have 9 million informed decisions pushing for reform. The youth (defined in the Constutition as 15-30 years old, RA 8044) is 50-60% of the voting populace. Because we have the privilege of being literate and educate, our votes should trump the uninformed, those being blinded by all the uh, colors. Voting isn’t just a right, it’s a responsibility.

Souce: Ahnnabanana