libby-nstp-blog

[libby-nstp-blog]

Exploring Brgy. Balong-Bato

Greetings everyone! In this photojournalistic blog entry I will be sharing my experiences about the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management interview and Community Walk I conducted last December 1, 2019 in Brgy. Balong-Bato, San Juan City.

Growing up, I spent a good amount of my childhood living in Brgy. Balong-Bato. It is a small barangay bounded by the San Juan River, making it specially prone to flooding. A. Juan, A. Lake, A. Luna, Aurora Boulevard, F. Roman, J. Ruiz, and N. Domingo are examples of some streets you can find within the barangay. 

A map of Brgy. Balong-Bato.

During my visit to the Barangay, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to interview Brgy. Capt. Gerardo Gorayeb. Through the small “kwentuhan” session, I was able to gain valuable insight which gave me a clearer understanding on the Barangay’s level of preparedness in case a disaster occurs. 

Conducting an interview with Brgy. Capt. Gerardo Gorayeb.

While walking through the barangay, I was able to observe the different communities living within San Juan. The city of San Juan is commonly known to be a highly urbanized city but despite that, I was able to observe a number of informal settlers living within the community. 

Considering how their community is at a higher risk due to their living conditions and their direct location, I have decided to make them the main focus of my reflection.

A stark difference between the living conditions experienced by the various communities in Brgy. Balong-Bato.

As I interviewed Capt. Gorayeb, he identified that the locations which are at most risk are the following streets: A. Luna, C. Leyva, and C. Santos. These streets also just so happen to be areas with larger populations of informal settlers. The nature of their living conditions, aside from them being located within three meters of the San Juan River, make them more vulnerable to widespread fire and the effects of earthquakes. 

A young child is captured in the image.

In order to vacate the hazardous space surrounding the river, the barangay has decided to relocate the informal settlers and convert their location into a spacious pay parking lot which can be considered as safer and more advantageous to the community. By moving the population away from the source of flooding, this solution is able to lessen the number of lives at risk.

Rubble and trash dumped on the sidewalk.

Other ways in which the barangay strengthens their preparedness against such calamities is through the participation in nationwide earthquake drills and by having institutions such as the local Fire Department conduct talks and dialogues with home owners discussing the prevention of fires, and the plan of action in case such occurs.

Pumping Stations in San Juan

The local flood-control pumping station. 

Ever since Typhoon Ondoy struck the Philippines in the year 2009, the government – both local and national – has been more proactive in strengthening our Disaster Risk Reduction capacities. In the year 2013, the construction of the local pumping station took place as a response to the vulnerabilities and risks at hand. 

In that same year, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino has expressed the effectiveness of the station, stating, “for the first time in 50 years, San Juan did not experience flooding after this pumping station became fully operational.”

The pumping station, which has been proved effective, serves multiple purposes. It is able to act as a waterway, transporting water from one area to another, therefore highlighting its importance in flood control. Aside from that, the pumping station is able to signal incoming storms, allowing the community to prepare beforehand.

Evacuation Centers

A signage leading to the evacuation area.

San Juan Elementary School, one of the designated evacuation areas.

While exploring the barangay, I was also able to find some of the evacuation centers. These areas, which are easily accessible to the public, are also considered as the safest places within the community as they are elevated on higher grounds and are spacious, allowing for a large number of evacuees to seek refuge. 

Some examples of evacuation centers are the San Juan Gym, and San Juan Elementary School.

Waste Management

The significant lack of proper waste management.

Another thing that I was able to observe is the lack of proper waste management in the barangay, most specially in locations inhabited by informal settlers. The barangay was not necessarily the most clean. This could contribute to the amount of risk facing the barangay, specially as trash littered in streets can clog up waterways. The trash could also end up in the river which could only bring even more harmful effects to the community.

Conclusion and Synthesis

Disaster Risk Reduction Management should be a collaborative effort between the government and the citizens. Both parties have respective roles to commit to and once they are able to successfully play their role, the community will be facing less risk when it comes to disasters and calamities.

It is the role of the government to properly designate spaces in the communities which may be used for evacuation purposes. It is also their role to equip their area with the instruments needed to lessen the impact of calamities. The government is also tasked with spreading information and educating the citizens on plans regarding the community’s Disaster Risk Reduction campaigns.

Likewise, it is the role of the citizens to participate and cooperate in the activities and campaigns held by the government. The citizens should also have the initiative to take the appropriate measures in order to personally prepare themselves.

All things considered, I believe that the barangay has highly improved their Disaster Risk preparedness compared to the previous years wherein the community has experienced extreme flooding. Although some things can still be improved, the local government seems to be taking considerable steps in order to find alternative solutions to such problems. These measures – hopefully  beneficial and sustainable in the long run – are just one part of the problem’s overall solution. In order to ensure its effectiveness, the participation and cooperation of the general public is highly expected.

Additional Sources

Manila Bulletin - http://news.mb.com.ph

MMDA - www.mmda.gov.ph