Every time heavy rains pour over San Fernando, Pampanga, many areas quickly find themselves submerged in floodwaters.When I was younger, our barangay would often be flooded with water reaching waist-deep levels. Since our home was only a bungalow, our family eventually became accustomed to floodwaters entering our house whenever heavy rains came.While we often point to the intensity of the rainfall as the primary cause, we cannot ignore a long-standing problem that continues to worsen the situation: irresponsible garbage disposal. In her social media reels, CSFP Mayor Vilma Caluag appealed to her constituents to refrain from throwing their wastes anywhere to prevent the occurence of floods in the city. Plastics, food waste, and other trash carelessly thrown into canals, drainage systems, and waterways eventually clog the flow of water, causing streets and communities to flood even after just a few hours of rain. Flooding is not solely a consequence of nature; in many ways, it is also a result of our own actions.
As residents, we have a responsibility to dispose of our waste properly and to be mindful of how our daily habits affect the environment. The sight of garbage scattered along roadsides, vacant lots, and waterways remains common despite repeated reminders and awareness campaigns. It is frustrating to see how the negligence of a few can have serious consequences for entire communities. When drainage systems are blocked by waste, floodwaters have nowhere to go, putting homes, livelihoods, and even lives at risk.
However, addressing this problem should not rest entirely on the shoulders of residents. The City Government must also strengthen and ensure the consistent implementation of waste collection services in all barangays. In our own barangay, garbage collection often takes more than a week before collection trucks arrive. As a result, garbage accumulates and piles up in designated collection areas and sometimes even along streets. When waste remains uncollected for extended periods, residents are left with few options, and the likelihood of improper disposal increases. Efficient and reliable waste collection is a crucial component of any effective flood mitigation strategy.
Flood prevention requires a shared commitment between the community and the government. Residents must practice proper waste management, while local authorities must ensure that collection systems are responsive, regular, and capable of meeting the needs of growing communities. If we genuinely want to reduce flooding in San Fernando, we must look beyond temporary solutions and address the root causes. Clean waterways, responsible citizens, and a dependable waste management system can together pave the way toward a cleaner, safer, and more flood-resilient city.
