Nature-based solutions eyed to be the answer to flooding in Bulacan coastal areas
CITY OF MALOLOS – Consistent flooding in Bulacan coastal areas is seen to be resolved by implementing nature-based solutions, thus the result of the briefing led by the Provincial Government of Bulacan with the representatives of Economic Affairs Section of the Netherlands Embassy during the North Manila Bay Flood Protection Strategy Briefing on Nature-Based Solutions and Dialogue on Potential Project Proposals held at One Grand Pavilion Matilde Hall, Blas Ople Road, Brgy. Bulihan here recently.
According to Eileen Vizmonte from the Economic Affairs Section of the Netherlands Embassy in the Philippines, the North Manila Bay Flood Protection Strategy is a project funded by the Netherlands government which is a small follow up project after the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan (MBSDMP) and was finalized last April 2022.
This strategy aims to increase the resilience of people and businesses against flooding in the North Manila Bay Area using nature-based solutions and to recommend pilot locations for the implementation of the project.
Meanwhile, Matthijs Zijlmans, Project Manager Partners for Water Program of Netherlands Enterprise Agency, identified that the main contributors of flooding in North Manila Bay includes sediment extraction, land subsidence, fluvial flooding, climate change, erosion and sediment shortage, storm surge, decline of natural habitat and population expansion.
With this, former Hagonoy Vice Mayor Angel L. Cruz, member of the Alyansa ng mga Baybayin-Bayan ng Bulacan at Pampanga (ABB-BP) who led the discussion, requested the participation of his colleagues from their alliance to come up with a concrete project proposal for flood control and mitigation and to further identify the funds needed for the implementation of the project with the help of the PGB.
In a separate interview, Bulacan Gov. Daniel R. Fernando said that the PGB through the Provincial Planning and Development Office headed by Arlene Pascual will do their best to come up and help in developing a concrete plan to finally resolved the problem on flooding in the province.
Fernando also mentioned that with the latest developments in the province such as the construction of the airport and PNR Line Tutuban to Malolos, it is just proper to resolve the flooding situation so as to not hamper the realization of these progress as well as to secure the safety of Bulakenyos residing in the coastal areas.
Other participants who attended the meeting were representatives from the ABB-BP including the City/Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offices and/or Engineering Office of Coastal Municipalities from Hagonoy, Calumpit, Paombong, Guiguinto, Balagtas, Obando, Bulakan, Bocaue, Marilao, Cities of Malolos and Meycauayan and the ABB-BP LGUs of Pampanga namely Macabebe, Masantol, Sasmoan and Lubao. ###