Saturday, December 23, 2006 Severino: The day Bacolod was flooded By Gil Alfredo Severino Think Economics
FROM local papers, it looks like 50% of Bacolod was inundated; flooding in upper middle class subdivisions, hospital basements, commercial establishments and residences were not comprehensively reported.
The outmoded evacuation centers and relief goods distribution was surely the headline and anyone can expect whose faces are in focus. The Sanggunian declaration of "calamity state", is a given, but could have been a media noteworthiness in terms of limits, ceilings and timing. There was even one politician who claimed polishing a "comprehensive updated drainage plan" up for submission to Malacañang; a comprehensive plan at the height of cries and pains!
The late veteran journalist Max Soliven has an apt expression for this, "susmaryosep, so and so"!
These repetitive disaster scene stealing orthodoxy is symptomatic of LGU helplessness. By now, government executives and disaster rescue instrumentalities must have already published quantitative situational assessments, most especially comparative and time series presentation of damages. Household population in evacuation centers is mere counting not assessment.
Competence and statistical languages must be at hand. LGU disaster operatives must wrestle with mathematics leading to an emergency contingent plan, then, act on it. The problem is, do we have this competence? In the long run, that "comprehensive plan" is appropriate (repeat, in the long run), but such could have been passed two to three decades ago. This is what I call technical competence, sincerity and sensitivity in governance.
Today, you need billions to fund drainage infrastructures. Please, have pity. Assessments end in analysis. In the absence of technical competence, let me assume 25% citizens' waste disposal neglect and irresponsibility; 60% local government neglect and irresponsibility, that dream "comprehensive drainage plan" is a validation. 15% attributed to "Thomas rainfall" and high tide.
While deforestation is to be blamed (citizens' irresponsibility), a portion of the creek at Abkasa disappeared because of the dumpsite (government neglect) and plastics scattered like Princess Diana's flower offerings of what remained of said creek, thus flash flooding Eroreco, Mt. View, Mercy Hospital, Capitolville and the Mandalagan areas. It is very possible that this explains the flooding of Riverside and Doctors' Hopitals as well.
There in the Banago areas (there are areas reported to have same sightings), households were fishing sili (eel), which is a shallow water creature therefore coming from higher grounds. Pantat could have been sighted if rivers are overflowing. At the outset, this must be the combination of deforestation and drainage system, clearly citizen-government neglect.
This is the kind of analysis I need to hear from Bacolod LGU executives. Structural, environmental and urban planning engineering experts advice must immediately be consulted which cost nothing. The foregoing are my assumptions coming from actual visits and can be proven wrong simply because I do not have the resources to analyze disasters. The Bacolod LGU and Congressional Office do have resources, it will serve Bacolod best if disaster preparedness is institutionalized, for real not for photos.
I stand with my senior mentor, early morning riser Fred Salanga in opposing the construction of the Bacolod Government Center. The day when Bacolod was flooded must already be a wake up call. There is a need for infrastructures to save peoples lives and properties; situation will get worst unless we do what is badly needed, the Lord forbids landslides.
For questions and comments, please email gil_severino@yahoo.com.
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