PUBLIC Works Secretary Vince Dizon on Thursday called for a shift to nature-based hybrid solutions in the government’s approach to flood control.
Dizon said that the goal of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is to develop flood mitigation projects that are both effective and responsive to communities’ needs.
“The problem is mindset. When you ask them, flood control, flood mitigation, they will always say, let’s build a dike. It’s all concrete, concrete, concrete,” Dizon said after his Wednesday meeting with representatives of Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) and Haskoning Phils — an international engineering and environmental consultancy firm that provides sustainable infrastructure, maritime and climate-resilience solutions.
Dizon said the Philippines should study countries that have already adopted a broader approach to flood management, like the Netherlands, which has been using nature-based approaches alongside large-scale concrete or “gray” infrastructure.
“In some cases, they’ve already demolished the concrete. They’re moving toward more nature-based solutions,” Dizon said, noting the shift did not mean totally abandoning the use of concrete.
“It’s not that nature-based [solutions] are the answer because there are really things that need concrete,” Dizon said, adding the government should determine which combination of approaches would work best for a particular area.
“The solution is always a combination and not one-size-fits-all,” he said.
Dizon noted that the Netherlands has massive gray infrastructure while utilizing nature-based solutions to flood management.
“We really have to have a bigger and broader view of how things are being done elsewhere,” Dizon said.
Dizon said the government should learn from the past and ensure that public funds are used properly.
“We have to learn from those who know and have done this correctly. Let’s not waste money again,” he said.
Dizon said the government should act promptly to stop persistent flooding, adding Filipinos could not wait five or 10 years for relief.
“We have to do it quickly. We need immediate relief now,” he said.
