Gov't, private developers liable for flood damage in Manila

MANILA - Government agencies and private developers are jointly liable for the massive loss of life and property in several Metro Manila cities for practicing poor urban planning and allowing commercial and residential structures to be built in flood-prone areas, according to "green" architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr.

Palafox said a 1977 World Bank-funded study identified Marikina Valley, the western shores of Laguna de Bay, and the Manila Bay coastal area as among development areas that should prepare for flooding, earthquakes and possible changes in topography.

The Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (Metroplan), which was finalized by Hong Kong-based consulting firm Freeman Fox and Associates, has been used as a blueprint by urban planning developers and various government agencies and urban planners. Unfortunately, he said corruption and lack of planning has led to the shelving of some of the plan's recommendations.

"You see the irony here. National government agencies are aware that there is a flooding level of so many meters, then another national government agency would approve subdivision plans for only nine-meter high houses. There are about 32 signatures to obtain just to do a development project. It's like an obstacle course," he said in an ANC interview last Tuesday.

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He said the Metroplan addressed flood-mapping in Metro Manila, ecifically after the massive typhoon in 1970. He said the Metroplan included the construction of the Manggahan Floodway, which would divert floodwaters from reaching Metro Manila by diverting the water to the Laguna Lake.

"There was supposed to be a Parañaque spillway to flush out the excess water to the Laguna Bay and South China Sea, but this was never done. It was part of the recommendation," he said.

Palafox said the study recommended the monitoring of the Marikina Riverbank so that the water would not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure should have been allowed within 9 meters from the riverbank, he added.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/09/30/09/govt-private-developers-liable-flood-damage

Mikey During Ondoy's Savage

Found this picture over the net which I also heard from a FM station of Mikey Arroyo buying some liquor during Ondoy's fury. What the heck is a stupid politician buying liquor for? Is he planning to donate his liquor to the drunkards affected by Ondoy???

According to the post from Facebook.. “Was buying food for keeps… then we saw Mikey Arroyo in Rustans Liquor Section asking the salesman for a brand of hard alcoholic drink. Effin Crazy! Just a few kilometers away from Katipunan, people are needing help for search and rescue, and there he was buying bottles of alcohol. See for yourself and tell me what you think.”

Shameless Jacque Bermejo

It is very sad that after the plight of many Filipinos who have suffered and even died on the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana), a fellow Filipino is able to speak of insanely about the people affected by the severe floods.

I've come to know of this Jacque Bermejo who happens to be in Dubai and made a statement in here Facebook account "Buti n lng am hir in Dubai! maybe so many sinners bak der! so yeah deserving wat hapend!" ('Fortunately I'm here in Dubai!... So yeah deserving what happened!')

It's very insensitive or rude of her to make a statement. And bad for her she is getting more bad image over the internet. No one have the right to be happy in the suffering of other people.

Typhoon Ondoy Drowns Most of Manila

Numerous videos of different accounts from the flooding all over Metro Manila due to typhoon Ondoy which passed Manila September 26 2009.

Wandering Juan

After our trip to Puerto Princesa last month, I joined in the Photo Contest of Cebu Pacific Air that is called Wandering Juan. This contest searches photo moments that feature a pair of slippers in it in 3 different categories: Sights, People, and Travelogue.

From the pictures that I have loaded, here is my entry for the Sights category that was chosen entitled Suspended in Air. Unfortunately, they have tagged it with a wrong location of Busuanga, instead of Puerto Princesa.



While here are my 2 entries for the People category: Father and Son


and On A Buffalo Ride

Jollibee, the Traffic Enforcer

I found this video from YouTube where Jollibee is doing the traffic. I found this cute and my guess this is somewhere in Legaspi.

Mikey Arroyo Grilled by Winnie Monsod

Here's a video of an interview with Mikey Arroyo in Unang Hirit yesterday morning about the unexplained assets of the Presidential Son.





He looked like he's controlling himself from punching Mareng Winnie.