DAVAO CITY, Philippines – As failed flood control projects hound the headlines, a Davao environment group calls for alternative solutions.
The Interface Development Intervention for Sustainability (IDIS) said that while they join in the call for transparency in the construction of government-funded flood control projects, their proposed alternative of nature-based flood control may give long-lasting benefits to communities at less cost.
The group said this solution is based on what they have seen in Davao City, such as rapid conversion of land and waterways which altered the ecosystem. They expressed alarm that Davao City has loss 95% of its wetlands, or land covered with water such as marshes, mangroves, rivers, rice paddies.
“Our research in Davao City reveals a clear pattern with national relevance: many of the city’s flood-prone areas were once wetlands, tidal marshes, swamps, and natural catch basins. Decades of unchecked urban development have reclaimed, converted, and altered these ecosystems, resulting in a staggering 95% loss of wetlands since 1945 in Davao City. With rising sea levels and more intense rainfall due to climate change, waterways can no longer properly drain during high tides, causing floodwaters to spill into streets, homes, and establishments,” their statement said.
The city was hit by flooding last May and August caused by heavy rains that stranded commuters and affected homes in flood-prone areas.
IDIS executive director Atty. Mark Peñalver said the flooding in Davao is not an isolated event as city officials echo the same solutions raised by the national government that rely on flood control projects such as dams, drainage and culverts.
But such billion-peso projects have not borne good results as seen in the recent waist-deep floods in Metro Manila, as the Marcos Jr administration is acting now through congressional hearings on anomalies and corruption in these projects.
“This raises urgent questions about the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of flood control projects across the country,” said Peñalver.
A report from the Davao City Engineering Office (CEO) last August 26 revealed that 265 areas in Davao City have been affected by recent floods, as they announced they will expand more flood control projects.
But Peñalver said his group suggests solutions that involve environmentalists to address better infrastructure to prevent flooding in the cities.
“(Flooding) will continue to happen nationwide if business-as-usual approaches persist. It is a national climate emergency that demands decisive, coordinated, and science-based action from all levels of government,” he said.
IDIS proposes a nature-based solution (NbS) that includes watershed protection, construction of retention and detention ponds, mangrove rehabilitation, and the restoration of wetlands and estuarine marshes. “These solutions offer long-term, climate-resilient protection against flooding,” the group said.
“Only by combining transparent governance with sustainable, nature-based strategies can we safeguard communities across the Philippines from the escalating threats of climate change,” Peñalver noted.(davaotoday.com)
