PRESIDENT MACAPAGAL-ARROYO has agreed to clean up her own backyard first before the government removes all the other obstructions along the Pasig River in an effort to stop the perennial flooding in Metro Manila.

Urban planner and architect Felino Palafox Jr. said two buildings in the Malacañang compound which backs to the Pasig were in violation of the 10-meter easement rule for riverfront properties.

“I brought this up when I (gave a talk) during the Cabinet meeting last Tuesday,” said Palafox, who was one of three speakers during the 8th Inquirer Briefings held on Friday.

The architect said the two structures were the New Executive Building—also known as the “Borloloy” building—and the employees’ canteen.

The NEB got its nickname after it was refurbished during the Aquino administration to the tune of P37 million.

“I recommended that the columns of these two buildings can stay but the walls should be set back inland,” said Palafox. “I said this should be done first before asking 10,000 families to leave the river.”

“The President agreed and she ordered (MMDA Chair) Bayani Fernando to take care of it,” he said.

Palafox said the incident reminded him of a conversation he had with the mayor of Chicago, Illinois, who told him the secret of good governance was that a leader should be the exemplar and not the exempted.

Palafox was in Chicago two weeks ago for the city’s celebration in honor of the Daniel Burnham Chicago Plan that was drawn up in 1909.

Burnham designed Baguio City and Manila, the plan for which was prepared in 1905 and needs to be updated for the changing climate.

At the Cabinet meeting, the architect set down 21 recommendations to avoid a repeat of the “great flood” that submerged about 80 percent of Metro Manila in September and October.

One of the recommendations was updating for 21st century conditions Burnham’s 1905 plan as well as the Metro Manila Transport Land Use and Development Planning Project of 1976-77 (Mmetroplan).

Spillway on top of list

The Mmetroplan calls for the construction of the Manggahan floodway to divert water from the mountains to Laguna de Bay and a Parañaque spillway through which excess water from the lake would drain into Manila Bay.

The Manggahan floodway was built in the 1980s, but the spillway was never constructed.

Palafox put the construction of the spillway on the top of his list, saying that this could be done either as a canal, a tunnel or an overhead aqueduct just like the ones the ancient Romans built.

But another urban planner and architect, Nathaniel von Einsiedel, said there were other options for a spillway for Laguna de Bay.

Von Einsiedel is part of Consultants for Comprehensive Environmental Planning Inc. which works closely with local governments.

“Possible alternatives include the National Irrigation Authority’s canal that connects (the lake and the bay) through Cavite—the Potatan project,” Von Einsiedel said.

He said another option was a spillway passing through Famy in Laguna to the Pacific Ocean which, although longer, would have a smaller effect on private properties.

Palafox said that without a spillway, Laguna de Bay would remain like a bathtub with 20 faucets—representing the 20 rivers and creeks running into the lake—or, worse, a toilet without a flush.

“According to the Department of Public Works and Highways, there will be a maximum 20 days of flooding if there is a spillway but a minimum of 65 days without one,” Palafox said.

Presidential economic adviser and Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said efforts to recover from the recent disasters—as well as the steps taken to prevent future ones—would not have a lasting effect unless these were done in the context of a development strategy.

“If this is done, efforts become an investment—development should lessen the need for reconstruction,” Salceda said. “If not, the efforts become a cost.”

Salceda estimates that reconstruction would cost up to P123.22 billion.

He explained that the amount represented P46 billion worth of cumulative damage from the recent calamities plus spending meant to reduce the risk of future disasters.

Salceda expressed doubt about what the Special National Public Reconstruction Commission of the private sector Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation could achieve considering there were two separate bodies and the private sector was not taking the initiative.

He explained that donors may not be as willing to give money as when there is a defined reconstruction strategy.

“The rationale for (these two reconstruction bodies) would be saved through the designation of a relocation czar like Vice President Noli de Castro, agriculture rehabilitation czar like Domingo Panganiban and a flood control czar like Bayani Fernando,” he said.