RAMPAGING flood waters. Sudden river water rise, overflowing banks. Landslides. Droughts. These have become common natural calamities related to climate change anywhere in the world. However, communities near coastlines or on low-lying areas can be ready to face such eventualities—through urban planning.
Dr. Gavin Smith, a visiting American research professor, bared this optimistic view in a dialogue with local government planners, a coastal town mayor, a group of city councilors, businessmen, media, and Davao City-based travel grantees to the USA under the International Visitor Program (IVP) of the US State Department.
Smith, executive director of the Center for the Study of Natural Hazards and Disasters, and consultant to some East Coast states devastated by deadly hurricanes, told his audience that urban planning can make communities become resilient, thus minimizing loss of human lives and properties.
This would call for strategies such as “hazard mitigation and risk reduction” by incorporating local knowledge of the terrain and experience with natural calamities into local planning, he said.
Smith also said destructive hurricanes (Katrina and Danny) in the US and typhoons (Ondoy and Neneng) in the Philippines have given valuable insights for planners to factor in “hazard identification, vulnerability, plan adaptation, monitoring, modification and capacity assessment.
During the round-table discussion held September 16, participant-reactor and acting city planning officer Roberto “Robby” Alabado III, said that developers should “stop building in areas where there is a risk.”
Reporters present were not clear if this remark was alluding to a major construction project north of the city, which many believe is situated on a swampland and later reclaimed, and built on. The project suffered a structural collapse of a top portion of the multi-story building killing one and injuring a number of workmen. A field investigation has been ordered by authorities.
Alabado also bewailed that “lots to build on are getting smaller” even as he described the old Davao as riceland, and “we have built over rice fields”, which this writer saw as an evaluation to the city’s vulnerability to flood waters.
He added that “subdivisions were altering the terrain of the city by flattening slopes” (slopes ranging from 30% and above are considered conservation areas, forest reserves and environment protection areas… must be free from urban development, being most affected and utilized from man’s conveniences, Section 5.6.1.4, Conservation Areas under the Comprehensive Development Plan, 1996 – 2021, as researched by this writer).
Other minor issues:
Should Tamugan River be tapped both for drinking water and for generating electric power?
Should the Watershed Ordinance be amended to give way to the city’s need for more electric power in the future?
Should rivers and natural resources be managed and controlled by public utilities or by the community, government and civil society like a consumer group according to sustainability, health and environmental demands?
Should recycling be made part of urban planning to reduce waste and to prevent clogging of drainage systems?
The discussion was hosted by the US Embassy Manila staff and assisted by the IVP Davao chapter led by Nilo Claudio, president; Tony Ajero, vice president; Ricky Jimenez, secretary, retired judge Jesus Quitain, journalist Manuel Cayon, consumer activist Cesar Ledesma, Indigenous People’s representative Licelle Onggo, former vice mayor Luis Bonguyan and city councilor Bernard Al-ag.
Aside from Al-ag, other city councilors present were Marissa Salvador Abella, April Marie Dayap, and John Louie Bonguyan. Sta Cruz town mayor Joel Ray Lopez came with Braulio Lim, local commerce and industry president, and planning officer Aurora Herbito. Mario Verner Monsanto represented “911”, Sebastian Angliongto, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., Ismael Tabije, a local columnist, and consultant for the World Bank and other international funding institutions. [Photos courtesy of Edison Arro]
