Floods, landslides worsening in Antipolo

MANILA, Philippines - Residents of Antipolo City said that floods and landslides have been worsening now that the population has ballooned up to 800,000 and subdivisions mushroomed to more than 400.

On Sunday, 17 residents of the city have been reported dead due to landslides, and many houses were under mud and floodwaters. Relatives of some residents had to swim to save their loved ones who were trapped inside their houses. Some even drowned right in their homes.

Nearby low-lying towns and cities like Taytay, Cainta, Pasig, Marikina, Quezon City, San Mateo and Rodriguez were submerged in floodwaters when typhoon “Ondoy” struck Saturday.

The environmental problems in the city were highlighted when 60 people were buried in mud inside the Cherry Hills subdivision in Barangay San Luis in August 1999 when typhoon “Olga” struck.

At that time, the areas hardest hit were also Metro Manila, Pampanga, Rizal and Pangasinan.

A check with city government records show that there are now 545,157 residents, but unofficial estimates say the population could already reach 800,000 because of informal settlers.

The number of business establishments has also increased to 6,903, while subdivisions already developed total 405 with 10 others still under development.

Long-time residents say structures were built even on creeks, so that floodwaters no longer have natural passage when rains fall.

“We never experienced this before, mud and water rushing,” 65-year-old Priscilla Francisco of Barangay San Isidro said as she tried to clean her house.

But Francisco said she was thankful it was all she had to go through because she heard over a battery-operated radio that people in Marikina and other towns nearby were helpless as floodwaters rushed through their neighborhood.

The roads linking the city to Marikina and other low-lying areas have been submerged in floodwaters, leaving both vehicles and commuters stranded.

The city is crowded with mostly residential subdivisions and developers, based on a visit to various sites, are not required to plant trees to compensate for those they cut while building the houses on their properties.

While there are many low-cost housing projects, the price of real estate in the city has ballooned compared.

Antipolo is famous for the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage national shrine and was also known as “Little Baguio” for its cool temperatures especially during the months of September to February. But that, too, has changed.

It was also known for the once majestic Hinulugang Taktak Falls, but the waters have now become murky with garbage.

Antipolo can be accessed from Marikina via the Sumulong Highway, which provides a panoramic view of Metro Manila and nearby areas. From Cubao, Quezon City, Antipolo can be reached via the Marcos Highway and from Mandaluyong City, via Ortigas Avenue extension, the areas worst hit by flooding due to Ondoy.

Antipolo is bounded on the north by the town of Rodriguez, on the northwest by the towns of Marikina and San Mateo, on the east by the province of Quezon, on the southeast by the towns of Tanay and Teresa and on the northwest by the towns of Taytay and Cainta.

“The authorities should realize how important it is to preserve the mountains, including Antipolo itself,” Francisco said.