Problems And Repercussions Of Lacking Drainage System

Flooding and destruction of road pavement– these are the repercussions of lacking drainage system (Bogh 2002). Having a drainage system is now considered necessary for it minimizes the effect of flooding by carrying and preventing the water from flowing towards low-lying areas and draining the excess water from the road pavement to preserve its structure (Toryila, 2016). Experiencing extreme weather, an observable effect from climate change, is enough reason to consider drainage system as an essential in preventing natural disaster, like flooding, to happen.

Several diseases and health risks can potentially be transmitted by flood, such as Leptospirosis, Gastrointestinal diseases, vector borne diseases, Respiratory tract infections, and etc. (***). Having a poor drainage system may cause stormwater to be stagnant; poorly drained stormwater can be a perfect breeding site for mosquitoes that may lead to vector borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria.

Drainage system is the vital aspect design for it captures surface water run-off to prevent flooding and to protect the road by keeping the underlying road structure as dry as possible. Thus, lack of drainage system can result to premature disintegration of road pavement (Itomi-ushi & et.al, 2013). Drainage system is one of the responsible in maintaining the performance of the road. Thus, not taking care of the drainage system will result to the destruction of the road (Itomi-ushi & et.al, 2013). The excessive water content in the pavement base can cause early destruction and functional failure. The stormwater can go inside the road pavement through cracks and joints if it did not quickly drain away. Itomi-ushi & et.al (2013) delineate in their study the six adverse effects the road can get from the poor maintenance of the drainage system; movement in pavement and sub base layers, weakening of thaw and forest-heave, the stripping of materials on the road pavement, extensive swelling of sub grade soils, shearing of asphalt on the pavement, and visible cracking in the sides of the road. -To recommend possible solutions addressing the impacts of not having drainage system.

-To understand the impacts of having no drainage in the perspective of the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City

-To explain the experiences of the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City for not having drainage system The study was conducted in Barangay Tabun which is one of the barangays in Angeles City. It is one of the smallest barangay found in Angeles City which has a total land area of 812,290 square meters which houses to 6,760 individuals and 1,690 households. The barangay is enclosed by Barangay Pandan, Barangay Mining, Barangay Cacutud, Barangay Pulung Maragul and Barangay Sapa Libutad and it is only 4 kilometers away from the city proper.The respondents who participated in this study are residents of Barangay Tabun, Angeles City. In choosing the participants, the researcher had set two requirements. The first requirement was the respondent must be living in the barangay for almost 15 years to elucidate more the problem being experienced in the place. The second and last requirement was the respondent must be having a personal experience with the issue to help the study to explain well the matter.

The first respondent is Mrs. Joyce Santos, a 39-year-old resident of Barangay Tabun, Angeles City for almost seventeen years. She has a small sari-sari store that sustains the daily living of her two children. The second participant is Mr. Enersto Reyes, a 53-year-old resident Barangay Tabun, Angeles City for almost twenty-three years. The last respondent is Mr. Ronald Dizon, a 40-year-old tricycle driver living in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City since he was born. All of the chosen participants in this study met the requirements set by the researcher. This study set out to investigate the impacts of not having drainage system on the residents of Barangay Tabun, Angeles City. This part of the study seeks to answer the objectives that were set by the researcher and to elaborate the information from the interview. The objectives are as follows:

To explain the experiences of the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City for not having drainage system

This objective seeks to describe the struggles the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City are facing due to this issue. The residents are undoubtedly suffering from various effects due to the lack of drainage system. A participant narrates his experience in his interview quoting, “Metung ku kareng magtinda, mayna ing kapanintunan oneng pauli na pin ning baha alang sasali, reng anak ku naman palagi lang magkasakit magcommute tuwing mumuran.” Likewise to the statement of the other participant, quoting from him:

“Sobra lubak nung daan doon, noong last year nasira yung tricycle ko dahil sa mga bato bato. Masakit din ing mag commute patse baha keni. Palaging pangit kapag dumadaan doon kaya minsan dadaan ako sa shortcut kahit traffic. Problema rin sa amoy dahil sobrang baho lalo na kapag tag-ulan. Lalo na ako ang mga anak ko bata pa lang, napansin kong palagi silang sakitin tuwing umuulan, baka may connect na ‘yun sa baho ng baha.”

This clearly gives us the idea that living in a barangay that does not have drainage system can really be a big problem to face every day. Like in the case of the first participant, not only his source of living is being affected, but also his children’s education. During the rains, the participants experience difficulty in transportation because the flooding which results to traffic. Second, they experience disruption in their business due to the flooding because the consumers tend to stay at home when there is a presence of flood to avoid getting health disease such as leptospirosis. Third, a participant shared that his tricycle had a problem in tires alignment due to the bumpiness of the road. The last experience narrated by the participants was the health risks they might get. One participant is frightened for his children’s health because of the foul smell of the flood and it might be a breeding spot for mosquitoes. Given these points, it is that the lack of drainage system directly affects the livelihood, their health, and the road pavements.

To understand the impacts of having no drainage in the perspective of the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City

This objective attempts to know the opinion of the residents in Barangay Tabun, Angeles City about the issue. The impacts of having no drainage system on the residents of Barangay Tabun in their perspective are; the inconvenience of transportation, the disruption in their daily living, the foul-smell from the flood, and the health risks they can get. Quoting from a participant:

“Para kaku, maragul ‘yang problema ing alang drainage lalu na queng metung a barangay kasi munang-muna kapag alang drainage ing baha sagli daragul. Eta makapanintunan masalese na aapektuhan na ing pamagtinda ku, etamu rin makadalan lalo na reng quetamung anak, ali la makapagaral o kaya magkasakit la”

It is clearly stated that it is very inconvenient for them whenever they are suffering from the consequences of not having drainage system in their barangay. Especially for the students who are always being affected by the suspension if classes. In like manner, their sources of living such as business are also being affected by this issue. From a separate interview, another participant specifies in his statement that the lack of drainage system gives contribution to the destruction of road which results to the inconvenience of transportation, quoting from him:

“Magkasakit kung magmanehung tricycle dala na ning lubak-lubak ya ing dalan, lalambat lalus yang masisira ing dalan dahil queng danum na matitipun tuwing mumuran. Sobra ya dagul epektu ini ali mu kareng makatuknang keti, pati na rin kareng dayu na gagamit queng dalan tamu”,

This gives us an insight that the people who are suffering from this issue are not only from Barangay Tabun, Angeles City, but also the commuters who pass by the rough road. The lack of drainage not only affects the residents’ health, but also the way they live. For the participants, this issue is something that needs to be raised immediately and to spread awareness about the consequences they are having because it is causing them problems.

To recommend possible solutions addressing the impacts of not having drainage system

This objective aims to recommend and to come up with possible solutions to eradicate the issue. The only common thing that the participants have said is that the one of the possible solution to address the problem is constructing a drainage system. Having a drainage system would be making a big difference, as simple as having dry road pavements in the sunny days. In like manner, a participant has given additional suggestion for this issue and that is reconstructing the road itself, quoting:

“Siyempre hindi lang dapat yung drainage diba? Dapat paayos nila yung nasira ng drainage, yun yung daan. Maayos na nga ang tubig at baha sa daan, pero kamusta naman ang nasira? Dapat pagawa rin ang daan para lahat ay maayos at doon ko pa lang masasabi na nalusutan na ang problema sa drainage.”

By the same token, another participant recommends that the residents themselves should respond to this issue by proper waste disposal because garbage is one of the main contributors to the flood. The unity of the people would result in the lessening of flood in the barangay, quoting;

“Misasanmetung la deng tawu, munang-muna ali tamu manugseng basura lalung-lalu na keng dalan, dapat den miugse la kareng tamang basurahan. Ampong dapat deng kekatamung manungkulan maging aware la keng pamanggawang drainage. Keng pakaniyan makasawup ya ini”.

On the whole, constructing drainage system is not the only thing that can solve the problem, but also the proper segregation of waste. With these, rubbish such as plastic cannot contribute to the flooding.