Reader’s view on Metro Manila problems

We received a lengthy, but interesting letter from Rafael Rueda Jr., a reader, early this month, and we would like to share his letter in order to better understand the problems and issues that growing urban centers like Metro Manila are confronted with. We have divided this into two parts. Please read on.

“I have read a lot of your good opinion column in the Philippine Star newspaper, and I decided to write to you about the three great problems of Metro Manila, namely, garbage, flooding, and traffic.

“But first, let me introduce myself. I am a soldier, professor, architect, planner, engineer (civil, combat), environmentalist, presently the president of the Vietnam War Veteran ROA, and the patriarch of the Rueda clan of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

“I have given my full military and civilian government service to our country and people, and to those other nations of the free world for 60 years (1950-2010).

“In 1972, then secretary David Consunji established the first Planning and Project Office (PPDO) of DPWTC, and took me in as one of its planners. Initially, two big projects were given to us: Manila Bay Strategic Development and Metro Manila Comprehensive Development.

“In the first project, we did not touch Manila Bay because by nature, this bay is the flood basin of the run-off of the watersheds of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Southern Tagalog region.

Projects

“Our major focus, instead, were the Manila Bay “ring road” with a bridge near Corregidor supporting Manila’s alternate international airport at Sangley Point, and the Manila supplemental seaport at Bataan in order to decongest Manila’s main sea port.

“In our second project, the Metro Manila Comprehensive Development, we incorporated all the major sectors in planning, namely physical, economic, social, industrial, cultural, environmental, and political.

“In 1973, I was assigned as the chairman of the Metro Manila Solid Waste Management System Phase I: Solid waste generation with recycling, collection and transport to disposal site. Phase II: Solid waste disposal was suspended.

“I was made consultant of the Metro Manila Commission to insure the success of the study. Phase I was successful, but Phase II is still a big problem in Metro Manila.

“From 1978 to 1987, I was the first executive director of the Traffic Operations Center of MMC. With close coordination with the Traffic Engineering Center of DPWTC under Engineer Tranquilino Atienza and Victor Rojas, we minimized the traffic problems of Metro Manila.

“And now, hereunder, are my statements in the problems of garbage, flooding, and traffic of Metro Manila.

Garbage

“Garbage generation with recycling, collection, and transport to disposal site is no longer a problem. But garbage disposal is still a big problem in Metro Manila.

“In my previous study with pilot projects, the best garbage disposal system is a sanitary landfill with combination of composting. The compost can be used for cover materials for landfill, and as organic fertilizer in farming. But the problem is where to locate the system of disposal in Metro Manila – or somewhere else.

Flooding

“Flooding in Metro Manila increases as the reclamation of Manila Bay increases. Pasig River was diked, and channels with pumps were installed, yet still, whenever heavy rains occur, floods continue to rise.

“A sad example is Dagat-Dagatan, which has been the flood basin of Malabon. When it was reclaimed as a squatter resettlement one meter above the Letre Road, the people of Malabon suffered from frequent floods, while the squatters in the Dagat-Dagatan area enjoy themselves in a flood-free community.

“If the reclamation of Manila Bay will not be stopped, the sad experience of the Malabon people will also be experienced. The poor and helpless people of the low areas of Metro Manila will suffer from heavy rain downpours and water runoff from the watersheds of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and the Southern Tagalog regions, thus producing deep and large flooding.

“Meanwhile, those rich and powerful people in the reclaimed areas will continue to enjoy the amenities and niceties of their modern flood-free communities.”

To be continued

We will continue with Rafael Rueda’s letter in next week’s column, where he gives his views on how Metro Manila can combat its horrendous traffic problems.

His insights are useful for any city, especially one that is going beyond its capability in terms of people mobility and density. It would be interesting to hear from our readers also on measures that could be adopted to help ease traffic congestion in areas where new roads are being built.

With many of the public-private partnership projects taking off, and new road and bridge projects about to commence under the present administration’s ambitious Build Build Build program, traffic in Metro Manila will definitely get worse before it gets better.

In the meantime, commuters and motorists should best be prepared in mind and body to tamp down possible increases in road rage incidents.

Facebook and Twitter

We are actively using two social networking websites to reach out more often and even interact with and engage our readers, friends and colleagues in the various areas of interest that I tackle in my column. Please like us at www.facebook.com and follow us at www.twitter.com/ReyGamboa.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25^th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.