VULNERABILITY ON FLOODED

RIVERLINES IN URBAN
PHILIPPINES: THE CASE OF
METRO MANILA
by
Emma Porio, PhD
Professor of Sociology and Chairperson, Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University
Int’l. Advisor, Panel on Climate Change, American Sociological Association
Asian Cities at Risk Study Group

The views expressed in this paper/presentation are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of
the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the
source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion,
or view presented, nor does it make any representation concerning the same.
 Introduction and Key Messages
• Slum Poverty of Urban Poor Communities (w/
their Social-Political-Economic Vulnerabilities):
INTERACT with Individual-Based
Vulnerabilities: Age, Gender, Income, Resource,
Tenure)HEIGHTENED by
• Ecological-Environmental Vulnerabilities of
Cities and Climate Change-Related Risks
• Deepening the poverty levels of the urban poor
• Integrate spatial-ecological based planning,
green development/technologies to “climate-
proof” urban planning/development initiatives
 Social-Political-Economic Vulnerabilities of
Men/Women in Urban Poor Communities
• Low, Irregular, Insecure Sources of Income
• Housing: No security of tenure, danger of
demolition/relocation to distant sites
• Residing in areas unsuitable for human habitation:1)
danger zones: along bays, rivers, creeks,
swampy/wetlands; 2) subsidence-prone to landslides;
and 3) costly to install infrastructure and services
• Floods: Rich-Upper-Middle classes better capability
to recover but for poor men/women, it could be a
multiple disaster  loss of life, housing, appliances,
services and livelihood!
 Ecological-Environmental Vulnerabilities of
Metro Manila and Urban Philippines
• Mostly Located in Coastal Areas/Flood Plains
• Infrastructure/Urban Basic Services: Sometimes non-
existent; NOT “Climate Proofed”
• Located along Seismic Lines (e.g., Marikina Earthquake Fault)
• Wetlands/Marsh/Swampy Lands: inferior soil, subsidence,
habitat for disease-bearing vectors
• Sea Level Rise and the low-lying areas of most coastlines and
related river systems
• Environmental Pollution/Degradation
 Data Bases/References
• Climate Change Study Among the Urban
Poor in 15 Riverine Communities of Metro
Manila: Vulnerability, Adaptation, and
Resilience Among Marginal Populations
(Porio/JICA)
• Access to Justice Among the Urban Poor in
the Philippines: Conflicts/Cases Regarding
Urban Assets (Land, Housing, Services
(Porio/ADB)
• Secondary Data Sources/Other Studies
Research Sites: 15 Urban Poor Communities in Three Flood Basins
Flood Map:
Flooded
Areas-10,
30, 100 Year
Flood in
Metro Manila
Source: Manda, E. (2009)
Source: Manda, E. (2009)
Day After Typhoon Milenyo:Children Looking at playgound, Malabon City
Bangkulasi, Navotas City: After Typhoon Milenyo
Urban Primacy: Metro Manila/Phil. Cities
• Rapid Urbanization and demographic
primacy: 12M population (18,650 density per
sq.km) is12x the next largest urban center
• Political-economic primacy: seat of central
state, NCR engine of national growth (37%
GDP); urban Phil (85%)
• Socio-cultural primacy: center of education,
media, etc.
 Larger Social Factors: Increasing the
Vulnerability of the Poor
• Rapid urban growth, slow population
decline, slow economic growth
• Degraded urban environments
• Decentralization/governance of cities:
Uneven capacity and increasing LGU
disparitiesland use planning and urban
development policies incoherent
• Renders the city so vulnerable to climate
change effects
 Pop. Growth:The Urban-Rural Divide
Figure 4 Percentage of Rural and Urban Population, 1950-2020

Source: UN World Urbanization Prospects: The 2007 Revision

Ave. Household Incomes, Urban-
Rural (1988-2000)
 Continuous increase in
Source: Corpuz, A. (2010) population and density
Mega Manila Region: Population Density, Urban Primacy,
and Climate Change

Pampanga Pampanga

Bulacan Bulacan

Rizal Rizal

Metro Metro
Manila Manila

Cavite Cavite
Laguna Laguna

Batangas Batangas

1980 2007
 Figure 1. Population Trends of Metro Manila (1970-
2020)

Figure 1. Population Trends of Metro Manila (1970-2020

 Large

Source: Manda, E. (2009)

 Number of People Affected by
Floods in Metro Manila (1973-2001)
Percent of Barangays in Metro
Manila Flooded (2000)
Social-Ecological Vulnerabilities of Riverlines
• Infrastructure/Urban Basic Services: Almost non-existent
• Collection of garbage: almost non-existent, canals/creeks
cloogged
• Roads—water-logged, fast to deteriorate
• Continued construction/building: substandard, no permits
• Informal filling of water-logged areas by informal settlers
vs. formal filling by real estate developers disappearance
and/or siltation and clogging of waterways
Poverty, Environment, and Climate-
related Risks in Metro Manila
 Poverty, Environment, and
Climate Change and Disaster-Related Risks
Poverty, Environment, and Climate-
related Risks in Metro Manila

Slum community next to a major river Slum community along a creek next to
in Pasay City. a railroad track in Manila City.
Concentration of Informal Settlers
 Metro Manila Cities and
Concentration of Informal Settlers
Sustainability Threats to Philippine
Cities: Social-Spatial Inequalities
Table 2. Environmental Vulnerabilities of Places: Sources of
Vulnerabilities for Urban Poor Households in the
Three Metro Manila Flood Plains
Flood Environmental characteristics: Socio-eco.
Plains characteristics: Sources
Sources of vulnerabilities
of vulnerabilities
Pasig- Living in flood-prone areas along Mdn monthly income:
riverlines/riverbanks, subsidence, P18,000;
Marikina
clogged waterways Ave.Education--9.5 yrs.
KAMANAV Living along flood-prone riverlines; Mdn monthly income:
A near the coast (prone to floods and P15,000
sea level rise/tidal surges), land Ave. education: 11 years
subsidence, clogged waterways
West Living along flood prone riverlines Mdn monthly income:
Mangahan (Mangahan Floodway, Napindan P8,000;Educ: 7.5 years;
Channel) near Laguna Lake, Housing dilapidated, light
swampy lands/wetlands, materials, migrants,
subsidence, clogged waterways renters, women-headed
households, no services
Table 3. Summary of Costs/Losses/Inconveniences Due to
Floods, Tidal Surges
Effects on Basic Services
Clogged sewage, drainage and toilets; have to use neighbor’s
toilet, resort “to wrap and throw” to river/creek, worms/snakes
Brown-outs, grounding of electric lines and appliances
Water become murky, dirty, and not potable
Increase in costs of potable water from suppliers, with those in
West Mangahan paying about 100-300 percent more
Loss/repair of appliances
Average: P4615 but West Mangahan and Maybunga floodway
incurring more with average loss of P10,000 and P20,000
respectively
Transport costs (pedicab, styrofoam boats, tri-cycles)
Usual cost of P10-50/per person -- double or triple depending on distance
and depth of flood waters
Table 3. Summary of Losses/Inconveniences Due to Floods
and Tidal Surges (last flood), cont’d.
Absences from school
1-7 days with children from Marikina River Basin (ave. 6) and
Mangahan floodway (ave. 5) incurring the most absences
Health and Income Loss
2-98 workdays (ave. 5)* lost from sickness due to floods but
West Mangahan 7 days
1-15 days workdays (ave. 4 days but Marikina-West Mangahan
(6 days ave.) lost due to floods: about P1,500-P1715 income loss
P200-350 spent on medicines (West Mangahan spent less as
they did not have money for medical services so just rested to get
well and losing more income from work)
*removed outliers
Adaptation: A Water Water-Based Lifestyle
Adaptations:
1.Transport: styro-foam/plastic boats, pedi-cabs
and tricycle built high
2.Housing/architecture: stilts, taurpaulin/plastic
roofs, raising of floors/posts, abandoning 1st
)

floor/adding another floor; makeshift bridges to

other houses, across creeks/rivers, to main roads
3.HH Tasks/Mgt.: string pulleys/baskets within
and across houses for raising HH things,
appliances, getting food across houses
 ..

Makeshift houses, bridge, boats (for transport of water, goods) in Ibayo Tipas,
Taguig City, West Mangahan Flood Basin
 ..

Child crossing makeshift bridge to buy food across waterway in

swampy Ibayo Tipas, Taguig City, West Mangahan Flood Basin
Adaptation: A Water Water-Based Lifestyle
Adaptations (cont’d):
4. Apparel/Things: boots, raincoats, plastic-made
5.Physical structures and Life-style: Perennial
temporariness, always make-shift and make-do
6. Livelihood/Diet in floody riverlines:
• water hyacinths/lilies, water cress
)

• fishing, over-flow fish from nearby fishponds

• labor-hire, transporting things/people
7. Health: informal/self-medication for small
complaints; heavy subsidy for deadly infections
like leptospirosis or dengue
Cost of Health Services in Health Center/Hospital
to Climate Change-Related Complaints
Service Estimated Cost
Ordinary check-up PhP300-500 up to 1,500

Sputum analysis/check-u[ PhP750-1,500

1. Dengue (referred to public hospitals PhP35,000-60,000

where patient pay minimal payment)*

2. Leptospirosis (referred to public hospitals PhP10,000-50,000

where patient pay minimal payment or free)*

Services given pro-bono or charge minimally to urban poor by medical

missions

Blood analysis P2320 = PhP750-3,200

Urine analysis P90 = P700

Blood typing P90 = P700

ECG P90 = P1,500 – 2,500

X-ray P90 =P500

Physical Exam A (including Blood Chem, Blood typing and ECG)

P490 = P2,500
Costs of Water Water-Based Lifestyle: Summary
•Basic services/infrastructure: substandard but
costs more (e.g., potable water costs 100-300 %
more)
•Loss/repair of appliances--do not last long
•Education participation and performance of children
)
compromised
•Transport costs and other daily expenses higher
•Health and Income Loss higher
•Loss of income/livelihood; Socio-Psychological
disposition w/environmental poverty: dirt, pollution,
sickness
Gender Dimensions:CC & Environmental Poverty
• Women: more time spent for cleaning,
laundry, securing food; taking care of sick
HH members; monitoring children who
like to play in rain, river and floods, loss of
income
• Men: spend more time-repair of home,
appliances (men had lower incomes, high
unemployment compared to women, loss
of income)
• Climate change adds more burden to
women
Government/Private Sector Responses* to
Climate Change- Related Risks:REACTIVE
Metro Manila Development Authority (Flood Control )
•Metro Manila Flood Control Program (EFCOS)
•Bayanihan Flood Zones
•Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils
Local Government Units
)
•Water-Diversion Pumps (Navotas, Malabon, Taguig)
•Relief and rehabilitation programs
Private Sector
•Land filling, dredging; relocating to less flood-prone
areas
*Climate change considerations not integrated to urban
development decisions – mainly reactive
Rescue Operations in Marikina City
Metro Manila Flood Control Stations
(Right)
Flooding, Climate-Proofing Infrastructure
Design and Services in Marikina City
 Conclusions and Recommendations
• Ecological-Environmental Vulnerability of Wetlands
Deepen/Heighten Social Vulnerability-Urban Poverty
• Water-based lifestyle/adaptations further heighten their
vulnerability but there are limitations
•Larger forces: rapid urbanization, congestion, un-
calibrated infrastructural development, inconsistent
)
urban policies/development, etc. compound the
effects of climate change on cities; NUDF- noCC
•Need to integrate ecological-environmental (spatially-
anchored) aspects to urban planning/dev.
ecological boundaries vs. pol-adm boundaries in
centralized-decentralized contexts
water-based urban design, vertical urbanism, green
economy- technologies, architecture
 Process for Developing a City Adaptation Plan
for Climate Change (cf.McGranahan et al)
Assessment of vulnerability to Assessment of vulnerability to
socio-economic stresses climate change impacts

Local economic development National/Regional climate

strategies; integrated change strategy;
development plans; integrated Local (barangay/city) climate
municipal/city environment change assessments
plans

Overlay to identify vulnerable areas

Develop adaptation options and actions

Prioritize actions

CAP
(City Adaptation Plan)
Maraming salamat po!!!

Thank you very much!