Current Situation
Barangay Burgos is one of the 11 barangays in the municipality of Rodriguez, province of Rizal. In the 2015 census, the population is at 44,100 which consists 11.94% of the total population of the municipality.
One of the disasters that the barangay face is flood. Low-lying communities and even subdivisions near the rivers are at high risk during typhoon season. They are the first ones who become affected by the typhoon. Their houses are not that sturdy causing their roofs to become detached due to the strong winds. Their livelihood is also affected causing them to not gain enough money for the day. As a preventive measure, the local government unit invested on sirens which serves as a warning signal during flood situation. They also established a rip-rap near the river in order to decrease the water velocity. A rescue team was also made for their recovery operations to be more efficient. After the rescue operations, the victims are brought to the safe spaces like covered courts on elevated areas, evacuation centers and churches. The budget for calamity funds was used to buy safety equipment like rope, life vests and boats. They also offer calamity and financial assistance to the calamity victims. Trainings, Seminars and Drills from DILG are also conducted to those areas which are of high-risk during calamities.
Issues
One of the issues confronting the community is flood. Some people still build their houses near the flood prone areas. This can be because this is more cheaper or more convenient for them. Some may say that they chose it because it is near their source of livelihood. Some subdivisions even build their real estate property near rivers. They only seek for monetary gain and investment without thinking of the risk that might cause their property and even other people’s lives. Another issue is that of fire incidents. Last April 2019, a huge fire started in a highly dense community near a farmland. It was feared that the fire will reach more farmland and the gasoline station nearby. Fortunately, it did not because the fire volunteers were fast enough to control the fire.
A possible solution that the local government can do is to provide better urban planning for the people. They should be more firm in their orders of not building houses or other infrastructure few meters along the flood-prone area. Also, they should provide more housing projects for these people. The Local Government Unit should ensure that they passed the proper safety standards before issuing them building permits. It should not be always about the money involved but it is about the safety of the citizens.
Relation to the Country
The disaster situation of the barangay and the country in general could be somewhat similar. The people are still living in area which are hazardous. Both the people and the government are at fault on this type of situation. They should make their own part to solve this. Stricter implementation of the rules is the key in order for the people not to live in the area. Additionally, the government should always be prepared for situations like disasters. They should utilize the allocated budget for them wisely. This should be used to buy equipments that would be of use during rescue and retrieval operations.
Realizations
After the kuwentuhan and community walk, I realized how important it is to be more prepared for disasters. The government is doing their part by conducting seminars and training in order to inform as well as to provide safety for the people. Another realization is that the people from low-lying community is the ones who are severely affected by disasters. Those people who are marginalized are also one of the first casualties. Their homes, livelihood and other property are damaged making it harder for them to go back to normal after the calamities. Thus, the help of the government and other non-government organizations are very essential.
Addressing the Issue
It is very important to address the prevalent issues when it comes to disasters. It is not only facilities or infrastructures that are of risk, even lives can be put in danger. Knowing that our country is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the government should always allocate budget for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. The funds should be used in a good manner, which is beneficial for the people. As for the people, they should always listen to the authorities during emergency situation. They should always monitor the current situation and listen when evacuation and rescue operations are taking place. Their properties should be less of priority for their lives are more precious than these.
Possible Concrete Solutions
As a member of our community, I can suggest the officials to continually conduct programs that will help the people to be more prepared of disasters. When people are informed and engaged on these activities, it is less likely for them to be a casualty. By making them more knowledgeable, they would know what to do when disaster strikes. Another solution is for the officials to determine the places that are dangerous for the people to build infrastructures in. While doing this, they should always ensure that these are followed because if not it will just be a mere ordinance.
Sources:
Phil Atlas.com. (n.d.). Burgos. Retrieved from Phil Atlas.com: https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r04a/rizal/rodriguez/burgos.html
BARANGAY BURGOS DRRM 