The Dogma of Healing
It has been 12 days since I arrived and the third day since I saw waters on the streets of Cotabato City. Water Hyacinths can still be seen floating along the waterways of the city, large chunks to say the least, but most of these are swiftly carried to the sea. I have heard about agar-agar farms at Ambo Point in Landasan, Parang feeling the brunt of these hyacinths. I still have to go and see for myself. Suffice it to say though, these lilies have to go somewhere and maybe our authorities have to do something about it.
I regress, but my point in this article are the many things I observed, found out, saw and heard. Going to Delta Bridge, I can’t but help notice the streamers of support for the mayor of Cotabato City. Now, I ask myself, is this really needed? Do we really have to hang these political “affiliative drive” statements to show that indeed – we are behind the mayor? Or would it be better to buy food and give them to those affected by the floods. I could hang a thousand of these signs and yet deep in me – abhor the mayor. My point being, it is counter-productive to hang these signs because we only expose the notion that there are a lot of people who do not support the mayor. IF we really are for the mayor, then why don’t we organize ourselves, do some relief operation and tell the people –‘the mayor sent us’.
We understand the plight of those that were affected by the floods. The desperation in the cry of parents making do with what is available. The ghoulish stare of children whose young minds are questioning all and sundry – why they have to suffer such malady. We see the sweaty brows of our aid workers fighting a losing battle against time – to deliver and re-pack. This stream of information confront us daily and maybe until such time that the government has responded with serious programs, these panorama of human misery will continue to haunt our everyday life.
Beyond all these, our city, our country and our people need to heal. Heal from the travails of their endeavors. Heal from the tragic effects of the flood. Heal from the pain and humiliation of staying in evacuation centers. But mostly, to HEAL from the stream of bickering, finger pointing, accusations, “pogi-points” mentality, and baseless allegations. It is time to heal ourselves, our city and maybe from there we can start to heal our nation.
It is easy to ascribe blame for indeed there are a lot to be blamed. We can blame those who rape the forest and destroyed our watersheds for the wealth that came with it. We can curse those who took advantage of our innocence of environmental consciousness and allowed the destruction of our natural resources. We can point a finger at the Public Works Office who forgot to take heed of the impending peril of the build-up of hyacinths. We can find fault on our local government for not digging deeper drainage and maintaining them and for the construction of illegal structures erected on our waterways and where these structures cannot be touched since they are either relatives or close to the powers that be. We can blame the Social Welfare Office for not responding expeditiously to the crisis at hand. We can attack the national government for waiting for weeks before sending people who took advantage of our poor spirits and gave us the chance of standing beside them while photographers abound, and yet left us holding empty bags of promises.
But what will we get if we do this? Do we change the fact that the rains caused a lot of water to flow simultaneously into our marshes? Will it change the fact that the flood waters entered our homes? Will it alter the trauma in the minds of those affected? Will all these produce relief goods and services that we can give to people?
Sadly, talking about these only brings forth the reality that we are divided into several factions that we will never find our REAL issues. Talking will only bring discord, as words will never be enough to express the real feelings of each individual. Words will not enough to fully express what we wanted to say as more often, the more we talk, the more we are misunderstood.
Our real issue here is healing. We never healed from the political issues of the past elections. We never healed from the social division that were created by false accusations between cultures. We never healed from the hatred, from the snobbery of people and groups, from the many small things that made us think and act the way we do today. We never healed from the floods that happened in the past years. We simply masked our hurt and moved forward, adding it to the backseat where we compile our emotional baggage. We never healed! For if we had, we would look at things, and step forward and ask – what can I do?
The dogma of healing is first to heal yourself, before you heal others.
Just like the Japanese people who didn’t stop to ask who was at fault when a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunamis rocked their country to its very foundation. They didn’t stop to blame anybody – they just got to work. May be it’s time to do the same.
I believe in the Cotabateneos - their unparalleled spirit if volunteerism that was shown battling against the water hyacinths. I believe in the Cotabateneos - their indomitable valor of maintaining the unbelievable hamornious relation between Muslims and Christians. I believe in the Cotabateneos – the flame of freedom flows in your every vein.
Can you also PLEASE, believe in yourselves?
Monday, June 27, 2011
On the Cotabato flooding: “It is a matter of justice to the present and future generations to look for solutions”
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews) The rehabilitation and development of the Mindanao River Basin is the long term solution to the natural disasters and man made calamities afflicting Central Mindanao.
Some believe that because of natural and man-made disasters that cause regular flooding in Central Mindanao, we and all future generations shall live and die, unable to cope with the disasters. Attempts at master planning and even short-term solutions are, it is said, a big joke because one can’t undo what nature and man have done to the degradation of the Mindanao River Basin for decades. It would only be a waste of billions of money.
Such an attitude betrays a tragic lack of realism as well as creative imagination. I once thought that the whole problem was one thick impenetrable forest. Until I saw, through some of the studies on and scientific surveys of the Mindanao River Basin, where possible solutions lie. I could now identify the trees in the forest.
If the thousands of hectares of water hyacinths rise and are dislodged from their natural moorings in Ebpanan and Ligawasan Marshes, and if the water, bringing silt and mud, comes most significantly not from rainfall in the marshes but from rivers and tributaries feeding the marshes, are there solutions to resolve the situation or at least mitigate its effects? That’s a question for engineers, geologists, and hydrologists, etc to answer. With their scientific knowledge, they do have answers. We who might not be well versed with the whole phenomenon might think that the whole exercise is a waste of money.
If the Simuay River continues to disgorge flood waters and silt into the municipality of Sultan Kudarat and Rio Grande de Mindanao, because once upon a time a volcano upriver erupted with millions of cubic meters of lahar and sand that are now silting the Simuay River, are there solutions to this situation? Again that’s a question for engineers, geologist, and hydrologists, etc., to answer. Their solutions and certainly the implementation of those solutions are far from a joke. They are serious matters that affect future generations. The experts tell us that above Simuay River is the convergence of two rivers, Ambal and Simuay, each of these once upon a time had their own exits into Illana Bay. Is there a possible solution at the convergence? Still yet another question for engineers, geologists, hydrologists, etc., to answer. They believe that a series of sabo dams at the area of river convergence would not only control the flow of water, provide irrigation, but also catch a lot of the silt that flows down to the present Simuay river.
And so with many of the present problems affecting the people of the Mindanao River Basin. I do not think God wants us and future generations to live at the mercy of nature and man-made disasters. It is a matter of justice to the present and future generations to look for solutions, plan their implementation, and implement them. Billions of pesos for projects that will be completed within three, five, seven, 10, 15 years – where in the world can we get that money? Partly from some of the billions secured by preventing corruption, partly from countries that see hope in the Philippines.
Already JICA (Japan International Cooperating Agency) is more than contemplating at looking at the Ambal-Simuay River convergence for a long term solution to the flooding caused by the Simuay River. And perhaps some daring entrepreneur would want to try putting up a dentro-thermal power plant factory at Kabuntalan? The project would intercept the water hyacinth from Mindanao River before it branches into the Rio Grande and Tamontaka Rivers. After all, water hyacinths can be used for generating energy. And the solutions to flooding that could be put in place in the upper reaches of Pulangi River and as it approaches Pikit River — ah, the combination of scientific realism and creative imagination can do wonders!
We cannot afford to be mired in pessimism about the future of the Mindanao River Basin. We need vision, solid realism, and hope.
As one gazed down at the tens of hectares of water hyacinth continually building up at the Delta Bridge, there was a great depressing feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. We could have just sat down and cried — and blamed the government agencies for not doing their work.
But people began to move into action. One of the great lessons we learn from various sectors of society, united in solidarity clearing the water hyacinth from the Delta Bridge area, is how persistence and unity can bring unexpected wonderful results. No, in this world of immense hope and possibilities, with God, the impossible becomes possible.
The exclamation point is provided when I witnessed the Muslim volunteers and members of local government units, soldiers and police, etc. They took a break from their work of clearing the water hyacinth, seated themselves in groups on the mass of water hyacinth, and offered their Friday noon prayers to God.
(Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato is also chair of the Presidential Task Force for the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development)
Some believe that because of natural and man-made disasters that cause regular flooding in Central Mindanao, we and all future generations shall live and die, unable to cope with the disasters. Attempts at master planning and even short-term solutions are, it is said, a big joke because one can’t undo what nature and man have done to the degradation of the Mindanao River Basin for decades. It would only be a waste of billions of money.
Such an attitude betrays a tragic lack of realism as well as creative imagination. I once thought that the whole problem was one thick impenetrable forest. Until I saw, through some of the studies on and scientific surveys of the Mindanao River Basin, where possible solutions lie. I could now identify the trees in the forest.
If the thousands of hectares of water hyacinths rise and are dislodged from their natural moorings in Ebpanan and Ligawasan Marshes, and if the water, bringing silt and mud, comes most significantly not from rainfall in the marshes but from rivers and tributaries feeding the marshes, are there solutions to resolve the situation or at least mitigate its effects? That’s a question for engineers, geologists, and hydrologists, etc to answer. With their scientific knowledge, they do have answers. We who might not be well versed with the whole phenomenon might think that the whole exercise is a waste of money.
If the Simuay River continues to disgorge flood waters and silt into the municipality of Sultan Kudarat and Rio Grande de Mindanao, because once upon a time a volcano upriver erupted with millions of cubic meters of lahar and sand that are now silting the Simuay River, are there solutions to this situation? Again that’s a question for engineers, geologist, and hydrologists, etc., to answer. Their solutions and certainly the implementation of those solutions are far from a joke. They are serious matters that affect future generations. The experts tell us that above Simuay River is the convergence of two rivers, Ambal and Simuay, each of these once upon a time had their own exits into Illana Bay. Is there a possible solution at the convergence? Still yet another question for engineers, geologists, hydrologists, etc., to answer. They believe that a series of sabo dams at the area of river convergence would not only control the flow of water, provide irrigation, but also catch a lot of the silt that flows down to the present Simuay river.
And so with many of the present problems affecting the people of the Mindanao River Basin. I do not think God wants us and future generations to live at the mercy of nature and man-made disasters. It is a matter of justice to the present and future generations to look for solutions, plan their implementation, and implement them. Billions of pesos for projects that will be completed within three, five, seven, 10, 15 years – where in the world can we get that money? Partly from some of the billions secured by preventing corruption, partly from countries that see hope in the Philippines.
Already JICA (Japan International Cooperating Agency) is more than contemplating at looking at the Ambal-Simuay River convergence for a long term solution to the flooding caused by the Simuay River. And perhaps some daring entrepreneur would want to try putting up a dentro-thermal power plant factory at Kabuntalan? The project would intercept the water hyacinth from Mindanao River before it branches into the Rio Grande and Tamontaka Rivers. After all, water hyacinths can be used for generating energy. And the solutions to flooding that could be put in place in the upper reaches of Pulangi River and as it approaches Pikit River — ah, the combination of scientific realism and creative imagination can do wonders!
We cannot afford to be mired in pessimism about the future of the Mindanao River Basin. We need vision, solid realism, and hope.
As one gazed down at the tens of hectares of water hyacinth continually building up at the Delta Bridge, there was a great depressing feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. We could have just sat down and cried — and blamed the government agencies for not doing their work.
But people began to move into action. One of the great lessons we learn from various sectors of society, united in solidarity clearing the water hyacinth from the Delta Bridge area, is how persistence and unity can bring unexpected wonderful results. No, in this world of immense hope and possibilities, with God, the impossible becomes possible.
The exclamation point is provided when I witnessed the Muslim volunteers and members of local government units, soldiers and police, etc. They took a break from their work of clearing the water hyacinth, seated themselves in groups on the mass of water hyacinth, and offered their Friday noon prayers to God.
(Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo of the Archdiocese of Cotabato is also chair of the Presidential Task Force for the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development)
Monday, June 13, 2011
Briefer on the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development
The Mindanao River Basin in Southwestern Mindanao, is the second largest river basin in the Philippines. It has a catchment area of 23,169 sq. km. and 375 km. in length, which covers major portions of the Provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Maguindanao, Bukidnon and portions of Agusan del Sur, Lanao del Sur and Four (4) Mindanao Regions namely Regions X, XII, XIII and ARMM.
In general, the tributary main stem rivers are located in broad, relatively flat low-lying valleys surrounded by high mountains. Most of the basin is within Type III climate region. Runoff in the basin is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year although there are typically, slightly higher flows during the period from June to October.
The river basin is largely divided into two major tributary basins, the Pulangi and Ala River Basins. The Pulangi River Basin, with head water from Bukidnon, drains an area of 16,320 km2 and comprises of twelve minor basins, the biggest of which are the watersheds of Maridagao, Buluan, Marupali, and Muleta. The Ala River Basin, traversing the Ala Valley in the south, drains an area of 6,849 km2, and comprises of two minor basins, Banga and Maganoy. The Mindanao River Basin comprises of a large portion of the provinces of Bukidnon, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. The Mindanao and Tamontaka Rivers in the lower part of the river basin, all flows towards the Illana Bay.
The Mindanao River Basin is one of the eighteen (18) major river basins that have been considered for study under the Nationwide Flood Control Plan and Dredging Program in 1982 (River Dredging Project II).
Unfortunately after said study, the recommended follow-on studies and civil works to mitigate flooding in the area have not been implemented on full scale primarily because of the unstable peace and order situation in the area.
Flooding conditions in the area worsened through the years and practically stalling the economic progress. With the current administration thrust for Progress in Mindanao, mitigations of flooding is one of the urgent concerns particularly the Lower Cotabato Area, where Cotabato City, the center of all economic, social and political activities in the province of Maguindanao is located.
URGENT MEASURES
Last July 2008, Cotabato City was flooded due to Typhoon “Frank” which resulted to damages to millions of pesos and disrupted socio-economic activities in the area for almost two (2) months. Flooding were due to the heavy siltation of Rio Grande de Mindanao, especially the river mouth (Bucana) section; breaching of Simuay River, the flows diverted to two (2) creeks, (CALZADA) which discharges to Rio Grande about 1 km. downstream of new bridge, bringing heavy siltation to Rio Grande de Mindanao.
CREATION OF THE TASK FORCE
There were three Executive Orders that led to the Creation of the Presidential Task Force on Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development. These are the EO No. 743 Creating a Task Force on Cotabato Flood Control (July 24, 2008); EO No. 753 Creating a Presidential Task Force for the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation (September 29, 2008); and EO No. 753-A Amending EO No. 753, series of 2008, which created the Presidential Task Force on Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development (January 5, 2009). On February 15, 2010, the President signed Executive Order No. 753-B amending EO No. 753-A and extending the term of the Task Force until December 31, 2012.
OFFICERS AND MEMBERS
The appointed Chairman is Cotabato Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, DD with the Co-Chairman ARMM Governor, the Chairman of RDCC-ARMM, three Vice- Chairmen, Undersecretaries of DPWH and DENR and Chairman of RDCC XII, members composed of five Provincial Governors, Mayors, and Regional Directors/Heads of Government Line Agencies within the Mindanao River Basin
· Coordinate the formulation and implementation of the Mindanao River Basin (MRB) Relief, Rehabilitation and Long-Term Development Plan;
· Integrate flood control efforts in the areas of ARMM and Region XII that were flooded by Typhoons Frank and Cosme;
· Ensure that public funds for the rehabilitation and development of the Mindanao River Basin (MRB) shall be spent judiciously and effectively through efficient prioritization of programs and consistent monitoring of projects;
· Serve as clearing house for all proposals related to the development of the Mindanao River Basin (MRB);
· Upon consultation and evaluation, approve appropriate requests in connection with the Mindanao River Basin (MRB) development;
· Notify the DBM of its approval as basis for the release of funds for the Mindanao River Basin development ;
· Submit quarterly reports to the Presidential Management Staff on the work being done by the Task Force for the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development, and to the DBM on funds allocated indicating the amount released, obligated, and disbursed for projects and the accomplishments for the expended appropriations
Thursday, June 9, 2011
In response to the issues about flooding
IN RESPONSE TO THE ISSUES ABOUT FLOODING:
Before we explain the issue of flooding in the Salimbao Area, may we stress a few technical points that were the preliminary results of the ongoing master plan being prepared by the Woodfields Consultants. First: The River Hydrogeology – in the most simple terms so as it will be understood by everyone – the Rio Grande the Mindanao is the outlet of all the rivers in the Mindanao River Basin … water from the mountains in Bukidnon as well as the mountains of South Cotabato all flow into Ligawasan Marsh, and exits through the Rio Grande. Second: The siltation level of the river has risen so much that the current height of silt is the same as the height of the water level of the river 25 years ago. This means that the current water level of the Rio Grande is 1.5 meters higher than it was 25 years ago. Simply said, if you constructed your house level with the water 25 years ago, the current water level will flood your house by as deep as 100 inches.
The flooding in Salimbao Area is partly caused by the rise of the siltation. We are doing dredging operations, but this is not a long term solution, as we all know that the silt we dredge today will be replaced by new silt from the higher areas in less than a week. We need at least 20 dredgers working 24 hours daily, dredging from the mouth of the Ligawasan up to the mouth of the Rio Grande if we intend to bring the water level to where it was 25 years ago.
The construction of the Simuay Cut-Off channel was a stop-gap solution intended to divert 20% of the water flow of the Simuay-Ambal river. We have also initiated dredging in the mouth of the cut-off channel to enhance the effectiveness of the channel. However, there are technical issues that need to be resolved first. The Simuay-ambal river has an average width of 180 meters. The cut-off channel opening is about 60 meters that narrows to 30 meters in the middle and further narrows to 10 meters as it empties to the Illana Bay. This seemingly funnel type canal in itself needs to be revisited by DPWH and some changes to the design need to be undertaken so the channel will be able to attain maximum efficiency.
However it should be made clear that the cut-off channel was not designed to stop the flooding in the Salimbao area, but merely to minimize the flooding. Even if the cut-off channel was completed as planned, the redirection of 20% of the water is not enough to stop the flooding. It is in this context that the masterplan, in its preliminary reports, presented the need for permanent structures such as a Sabo Dam that will contain the silt generated by the confluence of the Simuay and Ambal River… A water impounding system that will hold the excess water and release it in a time-elapse manner, or the construction of a storm drainage that will absorb the excess water in the Salimbao area. This storm drain is similar to that of the storm drain in Los Angeles California.
As a whole, the flooding in the Salimbao area is merely the tip of the iceberg in the flooding issue. To fully resolve the issue, we need to understand the cause of the flooding and address it from the source, otherwise all other projects and programs that will be implemented without consideration of the source will eventually fall to naught. And, to understand, we need to look into the siltation that is on-going in the Ala River System in South Cotabato and the Upper Pulangi River System in Bukidnon. We have to understand the issues of our NCIP brothers in the mountains and the reason why slash and burn/kaingins still exist. We need to look into the condition of our aquifers in the 21 sub-basins of the Mindanao River Basin and we are happy to inform you that our Consultants are already in the final phase of the masterplan and in the next few months we shall be able to report, to you, with definitiveness the results of their study and from there we shall be able to recommend to the national government to implement projects that will directly address the flooding issues.
Finally, the flooding issues have been existing for sometime even before the creation of the PTFMRBRD, it has been a long demanded clamor by many, this is to say that this issue is not localized in Salimbao… It exists in South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Davao City, Cebu City, Manila and the northern parts of the country. The long years of degradation of our rivers caused by either man or nature have risen to the point of concern that we hope the government would be able to address before it is too late.
NATHANIEL A. CAMPO
PTFMRBRD Deputy Executive Director
24may2011//11:02ayem
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