Flooding is a chain reaction that begins with oversimplifying responsibilities and issues and ends with communities suffering the consequences of negligence.

For the St. Mary’s College of Baliuag, Inc. (SMCB) community, flooding inside and outside the school is a normal occurrence whenever there is a light or heavy downpour of rain. According to Chief Jhon Erwin Moleño, the Chief Security Officer of the school, “During the past rains, the level of water quickly rises, so the school requested the City Engineer’s Office of Baliuag to help us control the flood in front of the school that keeps on worsening.” 

As a response to the call of the SMCB community, a drainage construction was organized with the guidance of Ms. Cecilia Alcantara, who coordinated with the Local Government Unit (LGU) to facilitate the drainage repair in front of the school. On June 18, Racelis Street was closed in lieu of the drainage construction, which affected the normal traffic in the vicinity. 

However, even with the completion of the drainage repair, flooding in front of the school continues persistently. In fact, according to Chief Moleño, the situation has not noticeably improved. While the drainage appears to be functioning, the problem lies in the road’s elevation. Since the street is built lower than neighboring areas, water from high-elevation areas flows towards the school, making it a catch basin during rain. 

Christian Jem Ramos, Science and Math Area Coordinator, said that he expected the project would include widening the sewer channels and that the entire street would be raised to match the same height as the surrounding streets. The community expected that the repair would shorten the time it takes for floodwater to subside. However, the improvements fell short of the expectations of the people, leaving the area still prone to frequent flooding.

The normal scenario of recurring flooding in the area greatly affects the daily activities of the students and the whole community, especially those who commute. When there is a flood, people cannot operate normally—crossing the street or moving between buildings is made difficult because students are forced to take longer routes just to reach their destinations. 

To effectively address the problem, the contractor or city engineer should examine all contributing factors that cause flooding in the street aside from drainage capacity. Even when drainage issues are addressed, the higher elevation of other roads creates a natural slope that directs floodwater towards the school. So, unless the road level is adjusted or additional measures are taken, water will continue to accumulate in the area with nothing to flow into.

Furthermore, aside from just elevating the road, the LGU should add a filtering system in the drainage that filters trash or big debris to prevent them from blocking the waterway and for continuous flow of water to the drainage. The steel bars of the canals are not enough to prevent trash from flowing due to the big spacing between them. Even with these blockages, big trash or debris, such as cans and plastics, can flow through the canals without any obstruction.

Thus, instead of allotting funds for repair and maintenance, why not create a filter system that is effective in preventing leaves and trash from clogging the drainage, which can last for years? This way, fewer funds will be spent compared to monthly or yearly repairs.

A flood is not just caused by a single visible flaw that can be fixed through surface-level solutions. The real problem lies beneath what meets the eye—rooted in overlooked factors and poor planning that prioritize convenience over long-term effectiveness. 

Floods are no longer a mere occurrence of inconvenience, for they have become a cycle caused by superficial choices.  If those who are responsible prioritize easy solutions over sustainable ones, the community will continue to suffer the consequences. Therefore, we should stop being negligent in assessing situations to determine what is truly beneficial for the entire community.