Here we go again. The residents of Barangay Bancao-Bancao have barely dried their socks from the last flooding deluge, and yet—surprise, surprise!—their streets are once again transformed into picturesque canals. Perhaps we should all invest in barotos instead of motorcycles. Meanwhile, the much-heralded San Pedro flood control project, now four years in the making, has been defeated by its arch-nemesis: actual rainwater. And most of the city proper? Knee-deep in water, with residents contemplating whether to wade through or wait for the next aquatic taxi.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. We’re past the point of surprise, past the point of outrage, and well into the phase of sheer exhaustion.
So here’s a radical thought: how about we start with a map? Not just any map, but one that shows where our natural waterways are. It can be a community project, where everyone is chipping in to provide information to our engineers. The idea is to have everyone invested in whatever flood control projects are put out there.
Imagine if the public knew where water is supposed to flow—perhaps we’d be a little more watchful that those culverts piled out behind the City Coliseum should be laid out soonest. Maybe, just maybe, someone would notice if a multimillion-peso flood control project is actually controlling floods. With such a map, accountability and transparency might become more than just buzzwords.
On second thought, that might be a lofty dream. After all, why let the people monitor public infrastructure when we can keep them busy navigating their own private water hazards? Why build proper drainage when residents can simply elevate their homes on stilts? Or the moneyed can abandon their sunken abodes in favor of a temporary staycation? And why prioritize flood mitigation when we can keep pretending that these problems are acts of nature, rather than acts of neglect?
But let’s be fair. The government is not completely without solutions. After all, they’re experts at issuing public advisories: “Avoid flooded areas.” “Orange alert, stay at home!” They also sometimes distribute relief goods.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink our approach. Instead of reacting to floods every few weeks, how about we prevent them? Let’s start by demanding that flood control projects actually work, that natural waterways are protected, and that transparency isn’t just a talking point. Until then, welcome to Puerto Princesa’s Great Monthly Water Festival—held whenever it rains, free admission, and bring your own raft.
