High tide in Manila Bay contributed to Central Luzon flood, says PAGASA

The high tide in Manila Bay contributed to the widespread flooding in the Pampanga River Basin in Central Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

According to Raffy Tima's report on "24 Oras," the state weather bureau showed how the high tide, combined with urbanization and faulty flood control projects, all resulted in flooding around the river basin.

This area covers more than 10,000 square kilometers of land in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, until Bataan.

“Kapag widespread yung pag-ulan, hindi maiwasan na yung buong basin talaga ay magkaroon na po ng pagbaha,” said Rosalie Paguluyan, the chief of PAGASA’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Section.

(If the rain is widespread, it cannot be avoided that the whole basin will be flooded.)

“You can just imagine, water from all of this area, plus the Angat River kung meron, yan po lahat ay pupunta dito po sa Bulacan,” she added.

(You can just imagine, water from all of this area, plus the Angat River if there is, all of it will go to Bulacan.)

High tide, which happens twice a day in Manila Bay blocks the water that is coming from the Pampanga River basin.

“Mas mataas na po yung tide kaysa po doon sa flow ng water kaya maaari pong mas matagalan na lumabas yung mga flood waters coming from our rivers out sa dagat,” Paguluyan said.

(The tide is higher than the flow of water, so it may take longer for the floodwaters to exit through the sea.)

This has been the natural situation for the Pampanga River for more than 100,000 years. The first Filipinos eventually came and chose to settle here because of the fertile lands and rich water resources.

Over time, these areas were urbanized, and more cement structures were built.

Once the ground there becomes paved, more than 50% of rainfall becomes runoff water. This means it is no longer absorbed by the ground, according to Paguluyan. While flood control projects are meant to be solutions, these have limitations.

Paguluyan said that there are extreme rainfall events that would not have been incorporated in the designs. This could overwhelm the structure. On top of this, there are countless flood control projects that were reportedly bogus or substandard as a product of corruption.

“I think it has all the ingredients of a disastrous flooding,” Paguluyan said in a mix of English and Filipino.

There is still hope, however, as long as development projects are properly planned, she said. —Jean Mangaluz/NB, GMA News