TROPICAL storm “Paeng” destroyed not only houses and farmlands. It also damaged many public infrastructures, mostly bridges and roads.
Lesson: the government should invest more in infrastructure that are climate-resilient so that disasters, such as floods, are averted and not merely reacted upon.
A previous World Bank study showed that the Philippines indeed increased its budget in climate change adaptation programs, but the bulk has been used in flood control. Most of the funds were allocated to address flooding and rehabilitation of infrastructure and sector support.
But while it is very important that we immediately address flooding woes in the country, we must ensure that we are building long-term programs. If we are to rebuild the same poor infrastructure – mostly bridges and roads – that have been devastated by extreme weather events, then we are only causing more expenses.
What we must do is to invest in strengthening the resilience of these infrastructure from disasters, strengthening bridges and roads, upgrading flood control and road drainage standards, setting up rainwater catchment facilities, desilting rivers, and installing flood monitoring and warning systems, among others.
Extreme weather events, such as heavy and excessive rainfall, are the new norm, which makes flood prevention even more challenging. For many of our people, every single day of work is synonymous to survival. When heavy rains resulting to flooded and impassable bridges and roads prevent a daily wage earner from going to work, it would mean no earnings for the day, no food on the table.
While heavy and excessive rainfall is part of the new normal, we need not live with the risks that disrupt our social and economic activities. We need not have collapsed bridges and roads, flooded streets, heavy traffic, and stranded commuters or washed away houses, displaced families and devastated farmlands for every intense rain or typhoon.
We must practice enhanced disaster prevention, mitigation, and preparedness more than mere response. We must prove ourselves more proactive and more effective in reducing risks – beginning with building good quality and robust bridges, roads and other public infrastructure.
