DEAR SunStar Davao Editorial Team,
Greetings! I am Rein Perfecto, a resident of Mintal, Davao City, and a long-time reader of SunStar Davao. I am writing to respectfully submit an opinion piece for your editorial section.
My article tackles the recurring flood situation in Mintal and other parts of Davao City. As a resident who has witnessed and experienced the worsening effects of flooding in our community, I feel compelled to voice out the frustrations of many Dabawenyos. Despite years of enduring this problem, our barangay and local government units have yet to provide long-term and concrete solutions. This situation has left many of us asking: how much longer must we wait?
Through this piece, I hope to reach not only my fellow citizens but also our city officials, urging them to recognize the urgency of this issue and finally take decisive action. It is my belief that opinion spaces such as yours can help amplify the voices of ordinary residents who are too often left unheard.
I sincerely hope you will consider publishing my contribution. Thank you very much for your time and for continuing to provide a platform where citizens can engage in meaningful discourse.
Respectfully,
Rein Perfecto
Resident, Mintal, Davao City
Last Saturday, September 13, Davao City was once again submerged in floodwaters after hours of heavy downpour. From Mintal to other parts of the city, familiar scenes of waist-deep floods returned. These are reminders of a crisis that has been ignored for far too long.
For years, flooding has been a recurring nightmare for many communities in Davao. In Mintal alone, residents are forced to live with the anxiety that every rainfall could turn their streets into rivers. What makes this even more intolerable is the seeming blindness—or worse, indifference—of our barangay officials and city leaders. How many more years must we endure this cycle before someone in power finally acts decisively?
Worse, the issue of flood control in Davao has already been tainted with politics. We saw this in the recent flood-control fiasco that became a national spectacle, where accountability was buried under layers of finger-pointing and partisan bickering. Instead of solutions, we got excuses. Instead of urgency, we got theatrics.
And yet, instead of demanding accountability, some of our fellow Dabawenyos attack those who dare to post photos and videos of the flooding. On social media, netizens are accused of “ruining the city’s image” simply for showing the truth. But let us be clear: exposing the problem is not destroying Davao’s image, hence, denying it is.
Flooding in Davao is not fake news. It is real. Tinuod man gyud. Ginabaha man gyud ang Dabaw, mga besh. Every single time the waters rise, lives are disrupted, properties are damaged, and livelihoods are put at risk. Pretending this isn’t happening does not make the water go away.
Yes, climate change has intensified rains and extreme weather. But climate change is a global challenge—and other cities are working on adaptation and mitigation. What about Davao? For a city that prides itself on discipline and resilience, what meaningful, long-term flood control projects have we actually seen? Where is the master plan? Where is the transparency in the billions supposedly allocated for infrastructure? Why are drainage systems left clogged, riversides left unmanaged, and communities left to fend for themselves?
Dabawenyos deserve answers, not excuses. We deserve action, not hashtags. We deserve leaders who will prioritize our safety over their political survival.
It is time for us to stop being passive. Kita, mga taga-Dabaw, ang dapat mangusog ani. We must demand accountability from our leaders and stop tolerating blind fanaticism that only shields incompetence. If we cannot even hold our officials accountable for basic services like flood control, what future are we securing for our city?
We cannot keep mocking the problems of Luzon while ignoring the floods drowning our own homes. We cannot keep defending political idols while our neighbors wade through filthy water. Davao is not immune from decay and neglect—and unless we confront these realities, the so-called “Crown Jewel of Mindanao” risks being washed away by its own complacency.
To the so-called “influencers” and die-hard defenders of politicians: wake up. Ang baha sa Dabaw dili na angay itago. The more we silence those who speak out, the deeper we sink into this crisis.
This is not about politics—it is about survival, accountability, and the future of our city. Floodwaters do not ask if you voted red, green, or yellow. When the streets turn into rivers, when homes are inundated, and when livelihoods are destroyed, we all suffer the same.
Let us not wait for the next downpour to once again drown us in excuses. Davao must rise—but only if its people first demand that their leaders stop wading in denial and start building real solutions.
- Rein Perfecto