Metro Manila is sinking — geologist
A geologist and University of the Philippines professor revealed during a Senate hearing on climate change that Metro Manila is gradually and noticeably sinking. "Lumulubog ang lupa sa Malabon at hindi lang Malabon. Actually the entire Metro Manila is sinking...not slowly. It's sinking at several centimeters per year," said Dr. Fernando Siringan of the UP Marine Science Institute at Thursday's climate change committee hearing on the state of disaster and climate risks in the country. He said that in Malabon, some areas have been sinking by 10 centimeters a year and others by as much as one meter in four years. He said that the subsidence is easily noticeable, as several places that used to be flood-free now experience flooding. "May kalye na itinaas ng isang metro wala pang tatlo, apat na taon, binabaha na naman ng tubig dagat, hindi tubig ulan. Bakit ka papasukin ng tubig dagat kung 'di bumababa ang lugar?" he said. Siringan also noted that apart from the region's sinking, the sea level is also rising by almost one centimeter per year because of global warming. The geologist explained that one of the causes of Metro Manila's sinking is the over-extraction of ground water. Senate climate change committee chair Senator Loren Legarda added it is also being caused by the conversion of fish ponds into other structures. "Pag bumabagsak ang lupa, pagdating ng ulan ay siyempre lumulubog...napupuno rin ang ating karagatan and siltation ng mga tubig na ito ay nakakadulot din ng baha," she said. "Ito ay dapat ini-input sa pagplano ng mga public works project at pati pagplano sa mga flood control project," she added. Siringan mentioned Metro Manila's sinking after saying the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) did not follow scientists' suggestion to widen the rivers to address flooding in Metro Manila. "Imbes na luwagan, sinikipan pa ang mga ilog. Walang bisa na laliman nang laliman ang ilog because it will be filled up by sediments anyway," he said. "Ang point ko lang, kung may mga projects, dapat ikonsider [na] tumataas ang dagat at bumababa ang lupa at ang pagbaba ng lupa ay hindi pantay-pantay at hindi mabagal ito, ito ay mabilis," he added. Legarda said the DPWH has committed to change phases 1 and 2 of their flood control projects affecting Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, and Valenzuela, but did not specify the changes. - BM, GMA News