Drowning in Disregard: The Reality of Severe Flooding in Philippines | ASEAN Hive Community Challenge #164 - My Country's Biggest Problems
Hello, ASEAN Hive Community! 💖 Wishing you all well, good health, and have a wonderful day! ✨
Every nation, regardless of its size or wealth, faces its own unique set of issues. Today, I want to open up about a persistent and deeply impactful struggle in my country, the Philippines, particularly from a very personal perspective: Severe flooding.
Just last month, our family experienced the harsh reality of this problem firsthand. The heavy rains led to significant flooding, and it wasn't just outside; the waters rose right inside our house. I remember seeing our belongings getting soaked, and the roads outside turning into dirty rivers. The roads outside our home became impassable, cutting us off from our usual routines.
It was a chaotic and stressful time, which is why I wasn't able to post actively during that period. Our priority shifted entirely to dealing with the immediate crisis. These are the moments when the "biggest problem" wasn't just an idea, but a tangible, immediate threat to our homes and daily lives.
While Philippines is no stranger to heavy rainfall, especially during typhoon season, the severity of the flooding we experience points to deeper, systemic issues. For example, our recent flood got worse because a river wall was broken, and the flood gate control was out of order, unable to manage the water flow effectively. This wasn't just bad luck; it highlights a critical failure in infrastructure maintenance and planning.
It's disheartening to see how issues like corruption, short-term solutions, and the use of substandard materials contribute significantly to these ongoing problems. We often observe a peculiar and frustrating trend: numerous road constructions seem to pop up everywhere, especially around election campaign periods, even in places that look fine. It makes you wonder if these projects are truly for long-term improvement or simply for show, often left unfinished or poorly executed. It feels like during the busy campaign season last May, the crucial and urgent need for strong, permanent flood defenses was overlooked in favor of more visible, temporary projects, leading directly to the kind of incidents we just endured.
This isn't just our family's story. The widespread impact of this issue affects countless communities across our nation and has even caught the attention of national media. Our recent flooding incident was actually featured on one of our country's leading stations, GMA Network, through its GMA Public Affairs "Reporter's Notebook" Program. You can watch the segment and see the reality of what many communities face here: River wall sa Navotas, gumuho! | Reporter’s Notebook
(Source: GMA Public Affairs 'Reporter's Notebook' on YouTube)
It often feels like public outrage or media exposure is the only trigger for action. Many problems, like our community's persistent flooding, exist for years without adequate attention or funding. A major incident occurs (like this recent severe flood), or someone shares it on social media (thanks to social media, you can easily share concrete evidences), making it go viral or catching the eye of national news. Suddenly, officials face public pressure. They announce investigations, promise quick fixes, or start highly visible (but often superficial) repairs. As the news cycle moves on or the public's outrage subsides, the pressure on officials lessens. The initial burst of activity slows down. Without sustained pressure, the comprehensive, long-term solutions like proper infrastructure maintenance, addressing corruption, or building strong flood defenses are often left unfinished. The "fix" is temporary, and the underlying problem remains. This cycle is incredibly disheartening because it means that genuine improvement often depends on a constant, exhausting battle for public attention rather than consistent, responsible governance.
This problem affects so many lives. Addressing this problem demands more than just temporary fixes or band-aid solutions. It requires genuine political will to combat corruption within infrastructure projects, ensuring that public funds are used for durable, high-quality materials and comprehensive, long-term flood control systems that are properly maintained. Community vigilance and advocacy can also play a crucial role in holding officials accountable and demanding transparency. Maybe if we switch from projects just for elections to projects that are truly needed and last, we can have a safer future.
This post is my entry for ASEAN Hive Community Challenge #164: My Country's Biggest Problems.
Thank you for letting me share this personal experience and highlight one of my country's biggest problems. I look forward to reading about the challenges other countries are facing 😊
Love lots,
Elle 😘
She is someone with a big imagination and spends her free time chasing new adventures. She shares stories inspired by her love for travel, food, and furry companions. Writing doesn’t come easily to her, not because she lacks ideas, but because her thoughts often run faster than her words. Her storytelling is a mix of lighthearted tales and personal insights, written with the hope of connecting with curious, kindred spirits. With a camera in hand and curiosity in her heart, she documents the little things that make life vibrant, even if her photography is still a work in progress.
If you enjoy reading her posts, feel free to upvote, leave a comment, share your thoughts, or reblog to show some love. Follow for more and stay updated on her future posts.
In my observation, the real reason why we are facing a crisis with flooding is that it feels like the government's response is just a series of quick fixes. It's simply a mere band-aid on a deep wound. Instead of tackling the root of the problem, we often see corruption and extortion take center stage. It's enough to drive you up the wall to observe that many of our elected officials seem to lack genuine compassion for their constituents. It's so gut-wrenching when I think about the true leaders who care; I can count them on one hand.
A little while back, the spotlight was on slander and empty showmanship on their political opponent, rather than on meaningful solutions. The issues like flooding, traffic congestion, waste management, mining, drug problems, and countless others continue to plague us without any real resolution in sight. We have lost the era when many legislators and government officials were devoted to the people they served. Needless to say, there are a few dedicated leaders who remain; they are increasingly rare. There are only a handful that stand out amidst a sea of indifference. It’s time to demand better for our communities! Well, let's just cross our fingers that they will lend their ears.
"A band-aid on a deep wound" - you've absolutely nailed it sis! hahaha 😂 It's really frustrating when the urgency of critical issues gets pushed aside by political agendas or when corruption seems to take precedence over long-term solutions 😔 Your sentiment is widely shared by so many Filipinos. And yeah, fingers crossed that they will🤞
This is one of the problems we are facing in some parts of the country. A lot of people suffer from this during the rainy season.
I am sorry to hear that you experienced this terrible flood!
We can only hope that one day in future politics cares about finding long term solutions to this problem which affects so many people!
Thank you for your kind words 😊 It truly means a lot to have that understanding 😊 It's truly a problem that definitely needs dedicated attention from leadership!
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STOPI understand the problems you are going through. I have experienced similar things but on a different scale and I know the difficulties that this entails. I hope that solutions emerge so that it affects you less.
Thank you so much for your understanding 😊 It's truly comforting 😊 I really appreciate your hope for solutions; that's what we're all hoping for too, to make these situations less impactful in the future.
!HUESO
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My pleasure 😊
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Thank you very much 💖 I really appreciate it 😊
I love reading your article. Government issues and our country's crisis need immediate action and response, yet sometimes, or should I say, the government mismanaged its priorities. I hope one day these issues will be given solutions.