A geologist and resilience expert from the University of the Philippines (UP) has called for urgent reforestation and nature-based solutions to curb the country’s worsening floods, warning that the continued reliance on dikes is not sustainable.
Dr. Mahar Lagmay, executive director of the UP Resilience Institute and NOAH Center, said the country’s vanishing forest cover—lost largely over the past two decades—has greatly contributed to severe flooding during typhoon season. He emphasized that restoring forests would naturally help absorb rainfall, slow down water flow, and reduce the need for costly flood control structures.
Beyond Dikes: Nature-Based and Layered Solutions
Lagmay proposed a combination of measures such as building retention basins, constructing flow-through or mini dams, and implementing rainwater harvesting systems. He also suggested installing pumping stations that could expel water to the sea during heavy rainfall.
According to him, dikes should only be considered as a last resort. “Ang dike na ‘yun mas magiging epektibo pa kasi nabawasan na ‘yung baha,” he said, noting that dikes become more effective once flood levels have already been reduced through other interventions.
He added that adopting “patong-patong na solusyon” or layered strategies would make flood control cheaper, more effective, and more sustainable.
Lessons from Cebu’s Flood Disaster
Lagmay’s remarks came after widespread flooding struck Cebu during Typhoon Tino. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon admitted that existing dikes and revetments in Talisay and Mandaue City were overwhelmed as the Mananga and Butuanon Rivers overflowed.
Despite Cebu having P26.7 billion worth of flood control projects—including dozens along these rivers—Dizon said these structures could only handle normal rainfall, not extreme weather events. He pointed out that a crucial missing element in the country’s flood management system is the control of water flow from upstream.
Both experts agreed that restoring forests and managing watersheds from the mountains downward could provide long-term, sustainable protection against the increasingly destructive floods brought by stronger typhoons.
