Addressing the flood problem effectively
Addressing the flood problem effectively needs much more than just decreasing corruption. It also requires addressing the root causes of floods. Most of the attention today is on corruption.
We need to take a much broader view, and look at the whole picture. This includes not only remedial, but also preventive measures. One underutilized initiative is the role of the 18 multisectoral and decentralized River Basin Management Councils (RBMCs).
Last Sept. 15, President Marcos appointed Andres Reyes Jr. to lead the three-member Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI). The two other members are former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and SGV country managing partner Rosana Fajardo. Mayor Benjamin Magolong will be the special adviser. Its main objective is to look into the anomalies of the government’s flood control and other infrastructure projects. This certainly is an impressive team with a very important task.
Root causes
However, in addition to addressing the corruption, an essential task is to address the root causes of these floods. According to Earth.Org; “Flooding has been made more likely by climate change.”
Aside from corruption, there are eight other causes cited by Pagasa and other sources
for flooding in the Philippines. These are (1) deforestation and watershed degradation (2) clogged waterways (3) urbanization and impervious surfaces (4) illegal settlements and flood planning (5) poor infrastructure and civil engineering (6) land subsistence (7) waste management issues, and (8) Intense rainfall.
These other causes can be addressed through an overall plan for water management. This lack of competent water governance in the Philippines was documented in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) studies of 2012 and 2016. The Philippines ranked in the bottom third of a 48-country survey.
In 2018, a water task force reporting to the President was created to address water governance. It was composed of representatives from the government’s executive
branch, the legislature and the private sector (Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the AgriFisheries Alliance). For disclosure purposes, I represented the Agriculture Alliance and served as the secretary-general.
Six volumes related to the ADB’s 6 governance criteria were produced. Each was developed and signed by the relevant dean from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB). Partly because of this and the task force’s work, the Philippines governance ranking rose to a higher category in the ADB 2020 study.
Three recommendations
The task force’s main recommendations were: (1) create a Department of Water; (2) develop and optimize our water resources; and (3) Implement Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) through the 18 RBMCs.
After seven years, some progress has been made on these recommendations. However, little was done on the RBMC aspect. Ironically, this may produce the highest return on investment. With just a P10 million budget for each RBMC, it will provide the necessary guidance to synergize and integrate the enormous water-related funds of the government and the private sector in their respective areas.
At this time, these resources are scattered without a RMBC unified direction. This approach has been recognized worldwide as the most effective form of water governance sadly, it is not practiced sufficiently here.
Prevention is better than cure
While preventing corruption is important, comprehensive and systematic plans that are strictly followed prevent opportunities for massive corruption. These can largely be catalyzed by the eighteen decentralized multisector RMBCs. They are composed of government agencies, local authorities, civil society and private sector organizations.
Nobel Prize co-winner Rex Cruz, former Cagayan RBMC co-chair Bishop Antonio Ledesma, and water expert Hilly Ann Roa- Quiaoit all support the need for these councils to guide water management. This definitely includes addressing the root cause of floods. One essential component, among others, is the needed reforestation that will prevent floods.
The starting budget proposal in Congress for the Flood Management Program was P250 billion, even larger than the P224 billion for the Defense Program.
Last Sept. 17, it was reportedly abolished. Some of that budget can still be used to address our flood problem, but in a competent and non-corrupt way. This will involve a plan with both remedial and preventive measures. How this is spent can best be guided by the RMBCs. They know their unique problems and possible solutions in their respective local areas. Doing this may be the best approach to solving our disastrous flood situation today.
