Chipped and cracked, the barrel barely bears. Oozing as it pours yet again. What used to withstand the weight of pressure now wobbles and is bound to break. Everything was caught off guard when the plaster that reassured capacity came off. The water gushed and overflowed, bursting out. It could have been repaired on time, but the tape that scotched the rift was worth the compromise. From then on, it became a routine. To seal whatever peels and dry the spill.
Similarly, our country is currently dependent on temporary-permanent practices rather than addressing the underlying problem. The infamous flood control project of our government is a concrete example. Its anomalous flow in implementation drowns the masses in frustration and uproar, calling out the corrupt contractors, and even their families are getting dragged into this whirlpool.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is primarily responsible for building these nationwide proposals. It aims to mitigate the impact of excessive water due to heavy rain, including from other natural sources, by storing and distributing it into a larger channel through the construction of canals, dikes, seawalls, dams, and reservoirs. This provides security and prevents the catastrophe from devastating low-lying or flood-prone areas. Great initiative, feasible idea. Until it remained as a plan: written down but never carried out.
A recent report from August 29 in Quezon City made headlines when only 2 out of 254 flood control projects of DPWH were approved by the municipal government. 16 others tried to apply for a certificate of coordination required under the Local Government Code and City Government Policy. While the remaining proposals, worth P14.24 billion, were disapproved, incomplete, or lacked the said requirement. 'I am convinced that there are anomalous projects,' says Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. “It’s quite suspect for me — I’m talking on a personal basis — that we have all these policies in place that require you to coordinate,” she added. This raised the growing suspicion of people, confirming the questionable process of control works from their respective regions.
And instead of accountability, we are left with their Plan B—the ghost haunting. Searching for the perpetrators who made us suffer from the waves we were not supposed to wade through. Others find hope in charity and assistance, which fuels the drive to be positive and resilient. However, these measures, though with good intentions, numb our senses to realize the gravity of their offense on both accounts: the law and to us.
We are not dismissing the efforts of our government, but we demand a real solution rather than a compromise. Not out of greed, but a need for the change as promised. Relief goods, as a safety net, are not only short-lived but also a drug that intoxicates us with overdependence. For the longest time, we’ve been fighting this battle. The only way to win is to acknowledge our vulnerability and work on it.
“ Yes, we are resilient, but not immune. We, too, have emotions, do get hurt, and sleep to dream on. If they truly care, they must not settle for a patch that always leaks. Because no matter how thick it gets to conceal what is underneath, the bulge itself reveals. Mending what’s broken, ends the cycle.”
Via Kycer Agnes, Insight PH
Similarly, our country is currently dependent on temporary-permanent practices rather than addressing the underlying problem. The infamous flood control project of our government is a concrete example. Its anomalous flow in implementation drowns the masses in frustration and uproar, calling out the corrupt contractors, and even their families are getting dragged into this whirlpool.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is primarily responsible for building these nationwide proposals. It aims to mitigate the impact of excessive water due to heavy rain, including from other natural sources, by storing and distributing it into a larger channel through the construction of canals, dikes, seawalls, dams, and reservoirs. This provides security and prevents the catastrophe from devastating low-lying or flood-prone areas. Great initiative, feasible idea. Until it remained as a plan: written down but never carried out.
A recent report from August 29 in Quezon City made headlines when only 2 out of 254 flood control projects of DPWH were approved by the municipal government. 16 others tried to apply for a certificate of coordination required under the Local Government Code and City Government Policy. While the remaining proposals, worth P14.24 billion, were disapproved, incomplete, or lacked the said requirement. 'I am convinced that there are anomalous projects,' says Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. “It’s quite suspect for me — I’m talking on a personal basis — that we have all these policies in place that require you to coordinate,” she added. This raised the growing suspicion of people, confirming the questionable process of control works from their respective regions.
And instead of accountability, we are left with their Plan B—the ghost haunting. Searching for the perpetrators who made us suffer from the waves we were not supposed to wade through. Others find hope in charity and assistance, which fuels the drive to be positive and resilient. However, these measures, though with good intentions, numb our senses to realize the gravity of their offense on both accounts: the law and to us.
We are not dismissing the efforts of our government, but we demand a real solution rather than a compromise. Not out of greed, but a need for the change as promised. Relief goods, as a safety net, are not only short-lived but also a drug that intoxicates us with overdependence. For the longest time, we’ve been fighting this battle. The only way to win is to acknowledge our vulnerability and work on it.
“ Yes, we are resilient, but not immune. We, too, have emotions, do get hurt, and sleep to dream on. If they truly care, they must not settle for a patch that always leaks. Because no matter how thick it gets to conceal what is underneath, the bulge itself reveals. Mending what’s broken, ends the cycle.”
Via Kycer Agnes, Insight PH
Written by Kycer Agnes, Insight PH
Kycer Agnes, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
