FOR Manila residents, the rains that poured last Saturday afternoon were just average. The weather report that day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. said that it was overcast, light rain, sprinkles, and back to overcast, with temperature of 26 degrees Centigrade, no wind, humidity of 95 percent and visibility of 6 and 7 km.
In other words, it was just an ordinary rainy afternoon in the National Capital Region, although two low pressure areas were then inside the Philippine area of responsibility, specifically near Zambales and Infanta in Quezon, resulting in scattered rains throughout the archipelago. The southwest monsoon is also currently bringing rains in the country.
However, the volume of rain water in Metro Manila that day was enough to accumulate into knee-deep flood in parts of EDSA, particularly in front of Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, north-bound. That flood made the wide thoroughfare impassable to light vehicles at around 2 p.m.
A taxi cab was seen inside the dedicated EDSA Bus Carousel lane, blocking buses. The flood situation made the rounds on the internet, and was seen all over the world. The photo of a flooded EDSA with motorcycles, cars and trucks all lined up in a row at the “shoreline” of what looked like the new EDSA beach is not just a curiosity shot. It might evoke some laughter and chuckles at first sight, but this will soon be displaced by feelings of sadness, disappointment and even anger of some Filipinos.
‘… where did our officials in charge of flood control spend the billions of pesos the government allocates for this item in the national budget?’
Various roads in Metro Manila were practically closed due to the heavy downpour of rain, like East Ave., EDSA Centris, and E. Rodriguez Ave. in Quezon City, and España Blvd., Jose Abad Santos and Rizal Ave. in Manila.
We commiserate with those who remember — and are asking — where did our officials in charge of flood control spend the billions of pesos the government allocates for this item in the national budget?
EDSA is undoubtedly the most important thoroughfare in the country, connecting several cities in the National Capital Region, and therefore one of the major cogs in the transport and logistics sectors. It was so important that former President Rodrigo Duterte promised to solve the problem of congestion and traffic volume along EDSA. Duterte vowed to speed up the EDSA traffic enabling motorists to drive from Cubao to Makati in 10 minutes, a promise that was almost realized. It was Duterte’s version of President Bongbong Marcos’ promise to bring down the price of rice to P20 per kilo.
If these ordinary rains can flood EDSA, it is scary to imagine how we can manage with the torrential rains poured in the NCR by “Ondoy” in 2009. We have yet to experience the weather disaster in South Korea last July when 23 inches of rain fell on the peninsula, triggering landslides and the collapse of roads and bridges, wiping out crops and damaging homes and public buildings.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol correctly said that unusual weather events had become “our new normal. We need to completely dismantle thinking that these extremes are an aberration.”
The EDSA incident last Saturday is a stark reminder to all that the climate change disaster is now here, and we are all being warned to prepare.
