In a sinking sitio in Bulacan, folks refuse to leave

Children in a once-lively sitio in Bulakan, Bulacan, have almost nowhere to play.

This was because its streets, its school and its chapel are now all under water.

According to Ivan Mayrina's report for 24 Oras on Friday, Sitio Pariahan had been sinking little by little in the last 20 years.

Boat rides have become the only way to get around as time went by, and residents are living in houses on stilts.

A local can still remember the sitio's former glory when fiestas filled the streets.

"Nu'ng hindi pa po ganiyan, 'pag po may kapistahan dito, may musiko kami dahil nilalakad namin ang mga poon. 'Yung mga bata, nakapaglalaro diyan sa kalsada dahil may lupa. Ngayon hindi na nakakapaglaro, lagi na lang sa taas ng bahay."

Subsidence

The University of the Philippines National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) calls it land subsidence, and it's a phenomena affecting several places in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon, especially coastal areas, according to a 2016 study by Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo of the National Academy of Science and Technology.

Climate change expert Dr. Carlos Primo "CP" David said several factors like groundwater extraction, rapid urbanization and growing population could be contributing to Pariahan's descent.

"Ang compounding factor ng groundwater extraction ay kung hindi bumabalik ang tubig mula sa ulan at nangyayari ito kapag pinapalitan natin 'yung land use ng area na dati ay palayan o kaya forest cover ngayon ay urbanized. Pagka-urbanized ang area, hindi pumapasok ang tubig sa semento," he explained.

On top of this, occurrences like global warming and rising sea levels can also be factored in. "Dahil sa pag-init ng mundo, unti-unting natutunaw ang mga polar ice caps effectively increasing by a few centimeters yung sea level," David said.

To the dismay of residents in Pariahan, experts say subsidence can be slowed but can never be reversed.

Evacuation

With the sitio's current state, the government of Bulakan says evacuation would be best for the folks of Pariahan.

"Relocation, talagang inillilipat na sila dito sa barrio para huwag na silang humanda kasi napakadelikado, pero bumabalik sila kasi ang katwiran nila, 'yung kinabubuhay nila sa lugar na iyon," Bulakan Vice Mayor Berting Bituin told GMA News.

Residents lost almost everything to the water, but many of them still choose to stay.

The sitio continue to thrive on fishing.

"Kung masipag ka lang po, mabilis po 'yung pagkakakitaan po dito,"  a resident said. —Margaret Claire Layug/LDF, GMA News