SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY LOYOLA SCHOOLS Participatory Resource Ecological Assessment of Barangay San Jose, Rizal Province, Philippines towards an Effective Disaster Risk Management Plan Roque Adarna Dezarie Aragon Jayson Baldesco Ma. Flordeliza P. Del Castillo Carl Francis T. Castro, EnP Cathy Clarin John Dalupang Sophia Angeli Dayrit Ashley Marie Dimanlig Jhonna Joy Fernandez Nadine Jacinto Joeven Jacogoy Oliver Javier Elirozz Carlie Labaria Lovely Nazareno Chris Tan Benjamin Velasco Authors Jean-Marie Isabelle D. Lau Wang Editor Dr. Liza L. Lim, PhD Adviser October 5, 2013 2|B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter I Socio-economic Profile of Barangay San Jose Chapter II Geophysical Assessment Chapter III Hazards and Risks Assessment Chapter IV Institutional Assessment of Vulnerability Chapter V Data Analysis Chapter VI Conclusions and Recommendations Chapter VII Appendix R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t |3 Introduction According to Russ (2002), the activities of human beings have had and will continue to have a significant impact on the earth’s environment. It has been said that 60 percent of the earth’s land surface is under the management of people but 100 percent of the earth’s surface is impacted by the practices of that management. Because of the global warming or climate change brought about by the activities of humans, several catastrophes have started to materialize. Extreme weather conditions have been experienced, causing severe damages not only to humans but also to the whole ecosystem. One such area often severely affected by extreme weather conditions is Barangay San Jose, nestled at the oft inundated heart of the Municipality of Rodriguez, which lies at the foot of the Sierra Madre mountain range. In 2009, flood waters brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy (Ketsana) submerged the barangay almost three storeys up in many areas and, since then, the story has remained the same—its population of 200,000 is now constantly at the mercy of the skies and the nearby shallow Marikina River. A group of student researchers engaged in participatory action research with the community of Barangay San Jose to answer why the municipality’s largest voting population, supposedly given extra attention by the local government for this very reason, remains vulnerable and how can this be changed. The researchers assessed the community’s vulnerabilities, needs and capacities, and produced maps and profiles that will ultimately be used towards a realistic and effective disaster risk management plan. As defined by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, disaster risk reduction plans are for the reduction of damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones, through an ethic of prevention. Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of lessening hazards through systematic efforts to analyze and reduce the casual factors of such disasters. Reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability of people 4|B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z and poverty, wise management of land and the environment, and improving preparedness and early warning for adverse events are all examples of disaster risk reduction. As we welcome this year’s International Day for Disaster Reduction on the 13th of October, it seems timelier than ever to create and/or improve disaster risk reduction and management plans for a highly vulnerable community. Presented in this paper are the researchers’ findings, sectioned into the following chapters: Socio-Economic Profile, Geophysical Assessment, Hazards and Risks Assessment, Institutional Assessment of Vulnerability, Data Analysis and, finally, Recommendations and Conclusions. Significance of the Study One big challenge for every community is to be able to protect developmental progress earned towards socio-economic aspects of their lives against the negative (economic, social, psychological and physical) effects of disasters. Socio-Economic Perspective of Disaster Risk Reduction and Recovery– Understanding Socio-Technological Means of Sustainability by Rajib Gupta and Arup Barman puts it so eloquently saying, Disasters cause loss of life, valuable assets, degrades the environment, thereby damaging acutely the social and economical foundation of our civilization, hence time has now come to initiate plans and programs for risk reduction, mitigation, readiness and recovery for sustainability of our growth, development and progress. The fulcrum of development has been achieving desperate and robust economic growth even at the cost of damages to livelihoods, environment, socio-economic structures, culture and increased levels of risk, exposure and vulnerabilities. The poor are becoming poorer, inequities in the societies are widening and large scale political instability urgently merits a much deeper, pragmatic, integrated and proactive approach to disaster risk reduction and recovery plans and policies in the context of the dynamic socio-economic macro –environment which would lead to success and sustenance of development of societies and communities at large. Mostly, due to tight budgets governments tend to spend less on prevention and risk reduction and more on post-disaster response and recovery because investments in disaster risk reduction may not yield visible and measurable benefits for many years and also get less media attention and thus limited non- governmental funds. Disaster loss is assessed in terms of injuries and death, destruction of fixed assets and infrastructure, disruptions in the flow of goods and services adversely effecting economic factors like GDP growth rates, indebtedness levels and fiscal deficits of a nation ignoring the social loss (Barman & Gupta, 2012). R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t |5 This paper aims to be part of that “pragmatic, integrated and proactive approach to disaster risk reduction” in the face of our country’s political incapacities and shortcomings, giving the community leaders and members alike the information and tools they need to be able to cut losses, build resiliency and protect development and growth, especially among impoverished groups. Shown below is a graphical representation of intrinsic relationships embedded between risks, vulnerabilities and capacities, natural hazards and potential disasters with economic and social development (Figure 1). This paper will touch on all of these aspects and will then offer recommendations for better decisions and planning to reduce the risks, exposures and vulnerabilities of lives and of progress in Barangay San Jose. Scope and Limitation The researchers’ discussions, interviews and activities were limited to about only eight hours and included no more than 50 residents from Sitio Libis, Sitio Sabah and the Sabah Muslim Compound in Barangay San Jose. All of the participants were adult women with the exception of two men. With these constraints in obtaining complete and objective data, the researchers referred to secondary sources in order to verify information collected. It must be noted that even these secondary sources, such as land maps and municipal profiles, proved challenging to acquire especially from local governments. Figure 1. Relationships embedded between risks, vulnerabilities and capacities, natural hazards and potential disasters with economic and social development 6|B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Source: (Barman & Gupta, 2012) Methodology Effective Participatory Research requires a willingness on the part of participants to disclose their personal views of the situation as well as their own opinions and experiences. Given this, the researchers facilitated sufficient openness and a “safe space” in which participants feel comfortable in expressing themselves, which was key to primary data gathering methods used, namely focused group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews, structured R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t |7 exercises, historical transect, community mapping and semi-structured interviews (informal conversations). Data was also collected through transect walks and secondary sources, including various national and local government agencies and Geographic Information System programs such as Google Earth. Each of the following sections will elaborate further on selected methodologies. 8|B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Chapter 1 SOCIO- ECONOMIC PROFILE Introduction This Socio-Economic Profile of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal Province is made to provide an updated database for residents, decision makers and researchers alike and aims to be useful as a basis for the creation of a comprehensive disaster risk management plan for the community. This profile also intends to illustrate the current situation of Barangay San Jose especially in connection to their disaster preparedness and adaptability and how these are tied to social and economic factors. This profile contains information about the barangay’s physical profile, history, institutions, residents, infrastructures and facilities as well as the barangay’s livelihood, health, protective services, sports and recreation, and environment. The researchers have also included all the issues and concerns shared by the community during their discussions regarding the abovementioned categories. Methodology Note Card Exercise & Focus Group Discussion Community participants were asked to write down their thoughts and to complete the following statement on the categories of Education, Health, Livelihood and Environment: “In X number of years, I’d like our community to have/be ___________”. “Our community could be better in terms of ______________.” The purpose of this exercise was to find common ground and identify shared priorities and values. This tool was used to bring out the concerns of the participants regarding their community’s education, health, livelihood and environment and then juxtapose them with what they would like their community to transform into. In this manner, gaps between their visions R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t |9 and their community’s current situation can be identified and used as a starting point in discussing and suggesting possible steps to achieve their ideal community. Semi-structured Interviews Informal and conversational interviews with community heads and members were used to obtain information on general and specific information on the problems, vulnerabilities and capacities of Barangay San Jose. Secondary Data Review This method was necessary as data gathered from primary sources were insufficient and therefore could not be used to make fair and complete analyses, conclusions and recommendations. Secondary sources used here were obtained mainly through government entities and websites. The researchers analysed the data gathered by first ensuring the data’s accuracy and consistency through the comparison of data from different sources. Similarities and differences were noted—especially those seen between community leaders and constituents—and from these, issues and concerns were identified. 10 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z SOCIO- ECONOMIC PROFILE Presentation of Data Physical Profile Barangay San Jose is located in the municipality of Rodriguez, Rizal Province. Rodriguez was previously known as Montalban—from the term alba mont which means “white mountain,” pertaining to the seemingly white colour of the mountains in Rodriguez. On February 29, 1908, Executive Order No. 20 separated Montalban from San Mateo and from then on was considered an independent municipality (Municipality of San Mateo, Rizal, 2009). In 1982, Batasang Pambansa Bilang 275 was passed, officially changing the name of Montalban to Rodriguez in honor of the late Senate President Eugolio Amang Rodriguez (Chan-Robles, 1998). The land area of Barangay San Jose is 1,045.28 hectares, making it the 6 th biggest barangay in the municipality of Rodriguez (Frias, Socio-Economic Profile - Barangay Development Plan ng Barangay San Jose Rodriguez Rizal, 2010). As shown in the province’s land use map, the whole of Rodriguez is bound on the east by a large parcel of idle land declared as protected areas. The land of Barangay San Jose was initially used for agricultural purposes but was eventually developed into subdivisions and residential areas with some foliage and small patches of idle land dotting the sitio of Sabah (Frias, Socio-Economic Profile - Barangay Development Plan ng Barangay San Jose Rodriguez Rizal, 2010). Barangay San Jose, about 27 kilometers from the country’s capital of Manila, is accessible via Litex Road, Quezon City and Marikina City by both public and private transportation. There is a proposed construction of C-6 Expressway that will traverse the municipality, potentially increasing the accessibility of the barangay to and from different areas. The estimated time of the completion of this project is on 2017. The barangay is surrounded by major roads, on which commercial areas located. Going in, crowding the minor roads are dense clusters of residential communities. The barangay houses R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 11 twelve (12) private subdivisions, one (1) housing project and four (4) relocation sites (Frias, Socio-Economic Profile - Barangay Development Plan ng Barangay San Jose Rodriguez Rizal, 2010). Figure 1. Land Use Map of Rizal Province Source: (Rizal Provincial Government, 2013) 12 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z These 12 private subdivisions are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Litex Village Christineville Subdivision Amityville Subdivision Monte Vista Subdivision Vista Rio Village Pamahay Village 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Forestryville Torres Subdivison Evergreen Royale Subdivision Villa Ana Maria Subdivision Monte Brisa Subdivision Mediterranean Heights The relocation sites are Montalban Heights, Kasiglahan Village, Sub Urban Village, and the newest site, Jovil-Balikatan. In addition to these, there is a housing project for the constituents of Iglesia ni Cristo called the Pamayanan ng Tagumpay. The Old Barrio, or the San Jose Proper, is divided into six (6) Purok and four (4) Sitio, including Sitios Sabah and Libis. Land ownership is mostly through “rights” instead of the legitimate land titles. Majority of the houses in Barangay San Jose are elevated 1 to 3 feet off the ground and are made mostly of cement with some wood parts. Exceptions are several shanties in Sitio Sabah that were made of lighter materials, such as galvanized iron sheets and plywood. Generally, the barangay appears to have not been subject to reblocking, which could improve the barangay’s security, living condition and mitigation of floods, fire and the like. Reblocking could also encourage security of tenure History Rodriguez (then Montalban), Rizal is said to have been established by Padre Eustaquio in 1871 (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). Original settlers were farmers and fishermen while some engaged in gold panning or “dulang.” As the area was naturally a good settlement site with its land and water resources, people trickled in ever since. Many, on the other hand, were relocated from informal settlements around Metro Manila, specifically from Quiapo, Manila and Trinoma area in Quezon City. The original settlers presently comprise 5 - 10% of the current population. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 13 With the continuous influx of people into Barangay San Jose since its early days comes the increase of population density. In 1999, San Jose was declared as the new resettlement area for Pasig River bank residents, Payatas landslide victims, Pinyahan fire victims and families displaced by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) projects. As of 2012, 128 families had been resettled and an additional 64 families awarded lands (but have yet to move to the community) from the Wawa- Montalban Eco-Tourism Sub-Project. The rise in the population paved the way for the increasing presence of government services, non-government organizations and commerce. A gradual narrowing of the Marikina River, said to have covered the area of Sitio Libis some decades ago, has also been noted and attributed to the increase in population in addition to siltation and the deposition of soil from the Sierra Madre mountain range. Institutions Local Government Unit Barangay San Jose is presently headed by the following individuals: Chairman Barangay Councilors or Kagawad Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman Barangay Secretary Barangay Treasurer Antonio J. Umali Romy A. Pastrana Samuel A. Balibalos Leo R. Zamora Jose SJ. Malapo Ireneo B. Mirafuentes Elmer E. Espiritu Epifanio B. Casolita Jr. Rose Ann O. Gonzales Jennifer D. Cahatol Maricris A. Nalicat The barangay budget given by the Department of Budget and Management is prorated according to the current population and amounts to about Php 34,000,000.00 annually. First, the 14 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z budget is deposited to a bank account before disbursement and then the barangay decides on how much to allot to selected projects and activities such as tournaments and fiestas. Other than barangay-based projects, the municipal and provincial entities also sponsor endeavours, such as the recently launched Ynares Eco System (YES) to Green Project. Formally launched this September by Rizal Governor Rebecca Ynares, the YES to Green Project promotes three components—greening, cleaning and recycling—and includes an objective on disaster risk reduction and management. One of the participating community leaders shared that the provincial government also funds a livelihood program but its services are limited to those who are members. Members can be given capital to start their own business ranging from Php 20,000.00 to 50,000.00, which must be paid back in instalments monthly. The types of businesses covered by the program are rice selling or distribution, piggery, poultry and handicrafts such as brooms, banig and baskets. When asked about microfinance or lending institutions in the barangay, the community leader of Libis shared that the barangay captain was very generous and was always willing to help out when he could. On the other hand, residents didn’t seem as pleased, repeatedly pointing out that there was favoritism in the mentioned system and, moreover, the same barangay official built walls around his home to keep out floods and, as consequence, increased the chances of flooding in adjacent areas. Another barangay official was subject to the residents’ complaints which detailed how the former required 7,000 pedicab drivers to register and buy stickers from him at Php 50.00 each. This mandatory registration was not backed by any resolution or order from the local government and, furthermore, the official did not remit the money to the barangay. Participants shared that, fortunately, this has already been resolved. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 15 People’s Organizations The People’s Organizations (POs) in Barangay San Jose are neighbourhood associations organized by the residents themselves to foster community involvement in their area. The POs are Libis Reyes Neighborhood Association, led by Aurora Adriano; Sabah Neighborhood Association, led by Araceli Dellosa; and the Sabah- Muslim Compound Neighborhood Association. Non-Government Organizations An active non-government organization in the barangay is the Socio-Pastoral Institute (SPI) which was established in 1980 by a group of priests and religious and promotes the mission-vision statement, “SPI today promotes the Spirituality of Stewardship and the building of disaster resilient communities to local churches, various Non-Governmental Organizations, People’s Organizations and other faith groups.” SPI is headed by the following individuals: Board Members Executive Director Bp. Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, DD Bp. Broderick Pabillo, DD Sr. Maluz Mijarez, OSA Fr. Luciano Pili Sr. Auring R. Zambrano , ICM Jose Maximillano Lumawig Edna Francisco Mila Garcia Glodava Jose Clemente SPI is best known in the barangay for their project Building Disaster Risk Reduction Mechanism for Highly Vulnerable Communities, which was prompted by the ravages left by Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009 and was funded by the international development charity Christian Aid with the help of the Embassy of Japan, which later came in to offer relief support after the typhoon. SPI partnered with the Home Owners’ Association of Suburban and the Sabah Neighborhood Association and conducted disaster risk reduction trainings in these communities to help boost preparedness for future disasters (Socio-Pastoral Institute). 16 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Infrastructure and Facilities Water In most informal settlements, access to safe, drinking water continues to be an issue. In fact, while Sitios Sabah and Libis have water supplied by Manila Water, the Sabah Muslim Compound still gets their water from underground wells through only two hand pumps in the area. In terms of accessibility and cost of this basic utility, variations depending on household income (if they can afford the cost or not) and distance from the clustered water meters come into play. Households that can afford to shoulder the water meter and piping have their own piped water. On the other hand, the farther a household is from the clustered water meters, the higher the costs they have to bear due to the number of pipes needed to transport the water. Houses with no piped water get their daily supply from public hand pumps scattered in the area. Some households drink water right from the hand pumps or after boiling while some buy drinking water for Php 20.00 per gallon. Electricity The main source of electricity in the community comes from the Manila Electric Company (Meralco). Each household spends an estimated cost ranging from Php 200.00 to 3,000.00 per month. Even with this data, it is to be noted that not all homes have supplied electricity for them to use for their daily activities. Some of these households resort to tapped or contracted electricity from those who have legal connections with certain fixed amounts, depending on the number of plugged appliances or equipment (e.g., Php 100.00 for a lightbulb/ month, Php 150.00 for an electric fan/ month, Php 250.00 for a television/ month). Tapping can be considered a source of income for those with legal connections but, in the same manner, exposes them to the risk that those who “tap” from their meters will not be R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 17 able to pay on time or at all, which poses a problem especially if those who have legal connections don’t always have the resources to shoulder all of the expenses and fees. Connectivity and Communication Only a handful of households have access to internet connection in the barangay. In fact, according to Libis leader Aurora Adriano, she is the only one in the sitio with an internet connection. Most individuals own and use cellular phones, with connection less of an issue with a Smart Communications tower located in Sitio Sabah. However, some residents expressed their concerns about the potential health and safety risks posed by the presence of the cellsite tower and the radiation it emits. Sewage and Waste Disposal Only a few households have septic tanks installed and those without one (commonly found in Libis) commonly do not dispose of wastes properly with some children even defecating in the streets or wherever they feel like doing so. Liquid waste disposal goes straight to open canals which appear to lead to the Marikina River. Interviewees from Sabah have complained about the improper disposal of human waste which they attribute to sickness among children in the community. Solid waste management and the lack thereof is also a pressing issue in the barangay. Some concerns raised are: Garbage trucks do not collect regularly and have to be paid Php 50.00 per pick-up per truck, with the proceeds going to the municipal government instead of to the barangay Proliferation of junk shops which do not follow regulations in storage and disposal. The junk shop located between Sabah and the Muslim Compound burn trash at night, which emits smoke that enters homes. The same junk shop also washes trash in the Marikina River, and is believed to be causing skin conditions and diarrhea to those exposed to it, especially to children. 18 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Transportation Being a community that is near a waterway, residents employ vehicles called balsa to cross the Marikina River to Kasiglahan Village at Php 5.00 per trip per person. Another option to reach Kasiglahan is to ride motorcycles which charge Php 10.00 per trip per person. Other modes of land transportation are also available to residents such as pedicabs or padyak, tricycles, jeepnies, and various kinds of private transportation. Security Teams which look after the community’s security and welfare are located within the barangay and municipal halls. These include police, fire and rescue (emergency) teams, which are all accessible through mobile phones. Contact details are posted all over the barangay for easy reference and access. It must be noted, however, that the municipality has access to only one fire truck and two rubber boats (which most of the participants have not even heard about). Health and Sanitation To address the community’s health concerns, several medical institutions as well as a few lying-in clinics and hospitals are located within the vicinity and general area of the barangay. However, some of them have yet to be operational. A barangay health center (BHC) is also in place with at least one doctor and about three nurses present. Salaries for these barangay health workers (BHW) are provided by the municipal government. Despite these, certain issues have been voiced by the residents, some of them saying that medical check-ups and vaccines for kids are free but medicines are either unavailable or have to be paid for. A certain palakasan method has been observed in that some residents who are connected or know someone from the BHC are able to avail of services and medicines, free of charge. In some cases, availability of the BHW is also erratic, with some experiencing the absence of BHWs to attend to them. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 19 Education Educational institutions of various denominations and categories are also within the area of Barangay San Jose. Public and private elementary and high schools as well as universities and vocational institutions are listed below. Public Elementary Schools in and near San Jose Burgos Elementary School Burgos Elementary School Unit I Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Elementary School Geronimo Elementary School Manggahan Elementary School San Jose Elementary School San Rafael Elementary School San Rafael Elementary School - Casili San Rafael Elementary School - Catmon San Rafael Elementary School - Inigan Wawa Elementary School Public High Schools in and near San Jose Burgos National High School Gen. Licerio Geronimo High School Kasiglahan Village National High School Macabud National High School Macaingalan High School Manggahan National High School Mascap National High School – Purray Annex Mascap National High School Montalban Heights National High School San Isidro National High School San Jose National High School* Southville 8B National High School Southville 8C National High School Tagumpay National High School Wawa National High School Private Elementary Schools in San Jose EBBC Christian Academy Froebelian College of Science and Technology Holy Family Montessori School of Rodriguez, Inc. Jesus Christ Saves Global Outreach Christian Academy Little Guardian Learning Center Lord Most High Christian School Papaya Academy, Inc. St. Therese Learning School of Rodriguez, Inc. Three Kings Academy of Rodriguez, Inc. Colleges and Universities in and near San Jose Asian Institute of Computer Studies (AICS) Froebellian College of Science and Technology Gerald's School of Science and Technology Roosevelt College Rodriguez St. Joseph's College of Quezon City Pamantasan ng Montalban University of Rizal System (URS) 20 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Vocational Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Vocational courses can be availed for free with three courses offered at a quota of 50 students per course. Uniforms and student identification cards with a minimal charge shall be shouldered by the student. Public elementary and high school students only have to pay for their IDs while students at some schools and universities pay about Php 5,000.00 for every semester. Because of the fees, most get to finish high school but no longer continue to college. To assist those who do not have the financial capacity to pay for tertiary education, the office of the governor offers the Rizal College Scholarship Program which has awarded 126 scholarships in 2012. However, most of the participants have complained that schools still require donations for items such as electric fans and charge students who use computers to do their schoolwork. Furthermore, parents complain that there are no health facilities in most public schools and a lack of educational facilities like computer laboratories and libraries. There is also a need to improve and address the lack of infrastructures and facilities, such as dilapidated roofing and unsafe roads, in the schools that make it more difficult for children to attend. Participants have emphasized that, in addition to these, schools should also offer proper values formation which include teaching children about vices and other life morals. Common Areas Communal recreation and gathering areas are available for use for barangay community members. Among the facilities available are a basketball court, a municipal gymnasium, a barangay hall as well as places of worship for various faiths including Catholic, Iglesia ni Cristo, Muslim, Christian, Protestant, Seventh Day Adventist and Mormon. The San Jose Market and Robinson’s Supermarket are also within the area for residents to buy daily supplies for food and R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 21 other household items. In the event of evacuation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the municipal gymnasium and San Jose Elementary School are open to the barangay as evacuation centers. People Population The total barangay population according to the figures provided by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) as of 2010 is at 108,586 and as of 2013, it has increased to about 200,000 according to the estimate of SPI and some residents. Of the population, about 77,000 are registered voters, accounting to roughly 39% of the current year’s figures. Thirty percent of the population is comprised of children and there are more men than women in the community in general. There are about 1,100 households in the barangay, broken down into different areas, with about 90% living in the Libis and Sabah areas, the rest coming from the Sabah-Muslim compound. The average household comprises of five (5) members, with children averaging at about three (3) per household. Majority of the community members practice the Catholic faith, with Iglesia ni Cristo coming in as a significant second. Other denominations include Muslims, Christian, Protestant, Seventh Day Adventist and Mormons. Dialects spoken vary with Tagalog as the main dialect used in communication, Visayan and dialects from Maguindanao province are also spoken by some residents who originally hail from those areas. Social Issues 22 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z As with most communities, social issues, predominantly those found in depressed areas, are also common in Barangay San Jose. Among those mentioned by residents are occurrences/cases of: Early pregnancies with an estimated 10 pregnancies a year in Libis Gambling among the youth and adults usually through card games and jueteng respectively Drug use among the youth using substances such as rugby and sealants A significant number of single moms and/or female breadwinners which presents a higher vulnerability and exposure in terms of safety in the face of disasters. Livelihood A main point of concern for the economic aspect of a community and their resilience in coping with disasters are their ways of life and sources of income. In Barangay San Jose, the main source of income for households lies in the informal sector (itinerant vendors, informal service workers/providers) as well as in the formal sector (factory workers, service providers in food outlets, etc.). The male members of the household, particularly the fathers, are mostly still the breadwinners. In some cases, women may accept odd jobs, such as doing the laundry, for extra income. Many rely on subsistence farming, cultivating vegetables such as eggplant, kamoteng kahoy and kangkong. Subsistence fishing, perhaps because of their proximity to the water, is also frequently seen. Commonly caught are ayungin, tilapia, dalag, hito and shrimp. Other informal businesses such as food vending, trash collecting, sourcing and selling recyclables and scrap materials are also engaged in by the residents. Microenterprises such as sundry stores, eateries, bakeries and junk shops can also be found within the barangay. These microenterprise businesses account for about 10% of the population, with the owners commonly Muslims—a tendency often attributed to their culture and inclination to trade. These small businesses earn a meager profit with an average Php 300.00 per day, which is not quite enough to sustain a family of five, R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 23 but majority of the participants have expressed the desire to own businesses, if only the government would assist them with capital. Those who work in the formal sector engage in labor intensive jobs such as construction workers and drivers. There are a handful of professionals and employees while the rest are classified as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), often working abroad as domestic helpers. Income Levels Region IVA – CALABARZON Average Annual Family Income (2009) Php 158,000.00 Region IVA – CALABARZON Average Annual Family Expenditure (2009) Php 135,000.00 Minimum Wage -- For private workers and employees and retail/services employing not more than ten employees: Php225.00 -- For general non-agriculture: Php322.50 Sources: (National Statistical Coordination Board, 2009) (National Wages and Productivity Commission, 2012) Health Nutrition Status FGD and interview participants did not observe malnutrition among the other residents. For optimum nutrition, the food guidelines of the World Health Organization suggest consuming a variety of food with amounts depending on an individual’s weight and height (WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, 1998). However, in urban areas such as Barangay San Jose, access to natural resources are often limited and, consequently, result in the consumption of less nutritious food that is more convenient to prepare. This is further 24 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z encouraged by the proliferation of sari-sari stores that sell processed food and ready-to-drink beverages and of food carts that sell deep fried and oily fare. Mortality Rate and Common Causes of Death Community members interviewed were uncertain of the average number of deaths per year but a resident has attested that there are years that bring no deaths, although this information could be unreliable. Community leaders, however, acknowledge that the most common health concern is related to heart disease, confirmed by the 2012 annual municipal data which listed 244 individuals who died of heart ailments. Other top causes of death are pneumonia and cancer, which killed 134 and 102 individuals respectively (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). With the 2010 barangay population of 108,586, these figures represent less than one percent. Common Diseases and Recurrence For the month of September, at least three dengue cases have been recorded in the barangay and is reported to be the monthly average, with no more than 100 cases of dengue recorded last year (2012). In contrast to dengue which appears to be relatively infrequent, residents have noted that their children seem to be highly susceptible to cough, colds and fever and attribute these illnesses to poor waste management, aggravated by the presence of small piggeries and a large junk shop in the community (Frias, Barangay San Jose Socio-Economic Profile, 2010). The table below (Figure 2) further details the common health concerns as reported by the Municipal Health Office: Figure 2. Common Health Concerns in Barangay San Jose CASES Count 3.Pulmonary Tuberculosis 937 1. Animal Bite Cases 1498 4. Dengue 445 2. AURI 1164 5. Asthma 384 R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 25 6. Acute Rhinitis 343 9. Body Injuries 179 7. AGE 219 10. Pharyngitis 129 8. Essential Hypertension 205 11. Contact Dermatitis 77 Source: (Berkman International, Inc., 2013) Health Programs Barangay data shows that medical and dental missions are one of the activities of the Committee on Health Services and Nutrition, providing free circumcision, pap smear and other health services to the community (Frias, Barangay San Jose Socio-Economic Profile, 2010). However, residents have observed that medical missions commonly occur during election season, such as those that served around 200 people before and after this year’s national elections. Community leaders also cited that regular feeding programs were funded by NGOs and not by the LGU. Alternative Health/Medical Practices The traditional Filipino healing methods of tawas and hilot are still used in the community possibly because of its accessibility and affordability. The municipal government recognizes the need to regulate these methods, thus training hilot practitioners who report to the BHC (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). Sanitation Practices Sanitation issues in the barangay arise from the density of residences and infrastructures as well as the inaccessibility of proper waste disposal services to the community. In this case, the more the community was isolated from these services, the greater was the tendency for them to dispose wastes either through burning or directly to their immediate surroundings such as in idle land, streams or the Marikina River. 26 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Although policies such as the Ecological and Solid Waste Act (RA 9003) exist and, as the Barangay Captain claims, people who throw trash in streams or rivers are investigated and penalized, the capability to support and enforce such policies remains an obvious challenge. FGD participants related that the frequency of garbage collection went down from once a week to once every two to three weeks, leading to waste accumulation and rotting, while collection becomes noticeably more frequent in December as garbage collectors pass around envelopes and ask for Christmas donations. Furthermore, sewage systems are not properly in place as canals lead from one home to another, ultimately draining into the Marikina River. Municipal information acknowledges that the town neither has a communal nor a centralized system to handle liquid waste. While there are some households capable of installing sanitary toilets equipped with septic tanks, a significant number cannot afford such systems especially in areas with informal settlers (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). Protective Services The Philippine National Police station is located in the barangay hall and barangay tanods are available to ensure the security of the barangay. Despite the presence of protective forces in Barangay San Jose, residents complain of rampant stealing and drug use/pushing typically among the youth who are also commonly part of street gangs that cause much of the trouble in the community. In 2011, Department of the Interior and Local Government rankings of the municipal government show greater emphasis and support for housing and basic utilities, while peace, security and disaster management ranked third among the four graded components (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). Sports and Recreation R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 27 The barangay is known as a “resort barangay,” housing nine resorts with swimming pool facilities as of 2006. Each barangay has its own basketball court while a gymnasium is available to the Municipality of Rodriguez. Communities put together annual tournaments for basketball, volleyball and chess, for which prizes are solicited by the tournament committee. The LGU is said to allot Php 800,000.00 for the local barangay fiesta held every May. Environment The barangay is divided by the Marikina River, born from the waters of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Barangay San Jose was formerly an agricultural area but, now that it is densely covered by roads and structures, whatever patches of idle land in and around the community are no longer used for farming on a substantial scale. Private companies that quarry soil and rock, however, are present in the area. Common Disasters Experienced Before the community was ravaged by Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009, flooding was an infrequent occurrence in Barangay San Jose. After 2009, floods became an annual event at two to three times a year. Notable were Tropical Storms Falcon and Pedring and the southwest monsoons of 2012 and 2013 that flooded the community, leading to mass evacuation efforts. Other Environmental Vulnerabilities Other environmental vulnerabilities observed and confirmed by the community were the erosion of the riverbank and the shallowing of the Marikina River, which is attributed to rock crushing operations upstream that deposit sediments and wastewater into the river. Community members believe the above to be some of the major causes of frequent and excessive flooding in the area and recommend river dredging to help solve the barangay’s flooding problem. 28 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z The presented environmental concerns are further aggravated by soil excavations in the barangay that is said to take ten to fifteen trucks daily to be sold as garden soil in other municipalities such as Antipolo. Another cause for concern is the numerous resorts in the area that extract groundwater in significant quantities, therefore competing with residential use. Current Disaster Plans/ Preparedness With the help of the Socio-Pastoral Institute, residents are now generally more knowledgeable on disaster preparedness, which manifests in some of their initiatives like painting water level gauges along river banks and concrete posts as well as having mutual markers in their communities such as how the Sabah Muslim Compound evacuates once the water reaches the foot of their mosque. In addition to municipal and national announcements, Barangay San Jose is assisted by their leaders who take on a more proactive role in monitoring and, along with resident volunteers, use megaphones and bullhorns to warn the community about such impending disasters. For when flooding occurs, a barangay leader has claimed that the community is equipped with two rubber boats and one amphibian vehicle (although many have expressed surprise at this fact because they had never seen these vehicles before). Some residents avoid having to deal with such disasters at all and move out of their homes temporarily during the rainy season and rent nearby apartments on higher ground for Php 2,000.00to 3,000.00. Despite the massive destruction and losses brought by Ondoy, the municipal government has not improved efforts towards disaster mitigation. The only equipment installed in the area is a PAG-ASA early warning system but, aside from that, little development in flood protection has been achieved with the local government maintaining a reactionary approach even though, supposedly, “the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office coordinates closely with the Office of Civil Defense, NDRRMC, PDRRMO and other national agencies such as the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection, 16th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, and the Philippine National Red Cross” (Berkman International, Inc., 2013). In R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 29 the event of the total destruction of a resident’s home, a participant has shared that the local government offers relocation to neighboring Barangay San Isidro. Other noted initiatives of the local government are limited to the distribution of meager relief packs (typically contains one kilo of rice, 2two to three packs of noodles and sardines for every family) to its residents, a system plagues by palakasan or favouritism as those close to officials get an uneven advantage to the goods. Residents have also shared that when it comes to disaster support, the Red Cross, the Office of Muslim Affairs, DSWD and NGOs respond faster than the local government. A recent report by the national government stated that the World Bank has given $1.5 million for the flood risk assessment study of Metro Manila which, in turn, will become the government’s roadmap until 2035. This proposed the construction of the Small Upper-Upper Marikina Dam (Wawa Area) and of natural retarding basins, which will cover parts of the Marikina River in Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal (Department of Public Works and Highways, 2013) (The World Bank Group, 2011). Other Issues, Concerns and Suggestions As narrated in the previous sections of this chapter, Barangay San Jose seems to be overwhelmed with concerns, one of which is the lack of updated information about the community—a concern critical to informed decision and plan making by residents, officials and even researchers who want to improve on current systems in the barangay. As of September 2013, the current administration was still in the process of making a barangay socio-economic profile so the researchers had to, with much difficulty, obtain the profile made during the previous term. Among the many concerns and suggestions offered by the interviewed community members, most urgent is their desire for their local government to improve on existing infrastructure, especially those involving sewage, septage and potable water supply. The table 30 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z below (Figure 3) lists municipal projects and their respective budget allocations from the Municipal Economic Development Fund-- 36.77% or approximately Php 6.5 million of which went to environmental and sanitary services. Figure 3. Accomplished Projects of Rodriguez, Rizal as of Fiscal Year 2011 NAME OF PROJECT Amount % Share P I. Environmental & Sanitary Services 6,452,770.67 36.77 II. Economic Development Agricultural Supplies 50,649.20 0.29 III. Infrastructure Development 1. Improvement of Hospitals / Health Centers 772,265.00 4.40 2. Improvement of drainage and laterals 1,642,091.05 9.36 3. Improvement of roads & bridges 5,149,042.65 29.34 4. Improvement – Electrification, Power & Energy 1,261,596.65 7.19 5. Improvement of artesian well / water supply system 59,040.00 0.34 6. Flood Control Projects 1,169,350.80 6.66 7. Improvement of other Public Infrastructure 359,197.50 2.05 8. Other Structure 256,124.00 1.46 9. Artesian wells, reservoirs, pumping stations & conduits 376,003.15 2.14 TOTAL P 17,548,130.67 100 Source: (Berkman International, Inc., 2013) R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 31 SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE Analysis and Recommendations There is generally a very high correlation between the chance of being negatively affected by natural hazards and being poor. A lot of disaster relief and recovery assistance fail to take into account the need to support livelihoods and other social and economic aspects in the community. Capacities and vulnerabilities are usually regarded as two separate entities in that capacities are regarded as dependent on groups or some form of social organization, while vulnerabilities are socially determined by the characteristics of individuals or households. They also have an inverse relationship such that when capacities are high, vulnerabilities remain low or are reduced. Therefore, the key lies in increasing people’s capacities and enabling them to have a greater chance to engage in disaster preparedness, prevention and recovery. Employing a slightly modified CVA or a Capacities and Vulnerabilities Analysis as a tool to look at vulnerabilities and capacities of the community members in certain aspects, we see: Area Health Vulnerabilities Capacities Community is exposed to unsafe and Mobilization of barangay improper solid waste management health centers and workers practices leading to health problems to assist in training people General lack of proper sanitation towards proper sanitation practices Education Schools are not fully equipped to Availability of scholarship deal with disasters and integrity of funds some structures are questionable Construction materials for Lack of adequate skills and school retrofitting are educational background available locally Problem in coping with school costs Livelihood Insecure sources of livelihood Employable skills Inadequate economic fall-back Diversity of income earning mechanisms sources Presence of a cooperative Infrastructure Unstable living conditions and poor Construction materials for and Facilities state of home construction retrofitting are available Inconsistent and sometimes locally unreliable basic public services Presence of barangay health centers and other health institutions Availability of utility services 32 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Social / Community Relations Divisions and neglect for some members of the community (particularly that of Sabah-Muslim compound) Varying participation levels within the community Poor governance and ineffective implementation of disaster relief programs Weak decision making structures (some are left out) for electricity and water Presence of people’s organizations to represent members of the community Awareness of issues The barangay Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Framework seems to be designed to be more reactive in approach rather than anticipatory or pro-active. DRM programs need to be more efficiently designed, taking into consideration the issues and concerns of the community pertaining to socio economic factors such as education, livelihood, health, sanitation and environment. The DRM programs need to be able to anticipate and foresee possible risk exposures for the community as opposed to merely responding to them. Local governments seem to have very limited capacity in DRM. Capabilities mostly lie in emergency response management and very little planning capacity. Disaster risk concerns need to be adequate and integrated into local physical, social, and economic policies and plans. In addition, there are concerns that crop up in terms of implementing emergency response and relief distribution. Poor governance is an issue and the needs a more systematic and methodical approach, with the appropriate checks and balances. Furthermore, DRM programs appear to be tainted with political vested interests of individuals in power or positions of authority. Opportunistic and, often times, shady activities take place and politicians deliberately seek favor through the enforcement or the nonenforcement of certain rules and regulations which, in turn, thwarts the supposedly positive effects of DRM programs. Disasters have severe impacts to livelihood and poverty. The most exposed and vulnerable are the poor as they live in substandard housing often situated in precarious locations R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 33 such as flood plains and river banks with no access to secure land ownership and therefore less incentive to invest in disaster risk reduction measures. In addition, they have little to no means of earning income, which leads them to exploit and disregard their environment, exposing them and their community further to increased risk and vulnerability. Most of the post-disaster funds and activities are geared towards rebuilding physical infrastructure, consequently putting concerns related to the social sector on the wayside. Problems and issues on health and education are ignored. Social protection programs which enable residents to cope with disasters and its effects should be put in place, addressing, in particular, the needs of the highly vulnerable (women, children and the elderly). Further, disasters seriously impact the education of children by making it more difficult for affected families to meet the cost of school fees, or have to compulsively keep children at home to do domestic and livelihood work to supplement household earnings or to take the place of adults who have had to migrate to urban areas for better income. Children are driven into labor and become vulnerable as they are forced to take on responsibilities that are not appropriate for their ages. Disasters also have immense degrading and long psychosocial impacts which are often underestimated because they are less visible and obvious unlike physical impacts. The victims undergo a violent and traumatic experience during disasters, challenging their conventional belief and meaning of safety and security, losing with it their independence and self-worth that are required for peaceful human living as socially cohesive communities. Most governments tend to spend less on prevention and risk reduction and more on post-disaster response and recovery primarily because investments in disaster risk reduction is a long term investment and thus does not prove popular among policy makers in government and public administration who tend to divert much needed funds to other sectors. 34 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z A case study in enhancing a city’s resilience towards ensuring a disaster-resistant environment can be exemplified and followed as a best practice. Their conditions are quite similar to our subject barangay. The journey they embarked on can be seen in the figure below. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 35 In line with this, some proposals which may be considered would be to: Ensure that relief and recovery is tied into the restoration and reinforcement of livelihoods. Tapping into people’s organizations, partnering with the community to strengthen their barangay cooperative group to enable it to provide stable post-disaster micro financing to those who need to rebuild and reconstruct losses to their business as well as rebuild homes and other lost or damaged properties. Livelihood diversification and more widespread access to microfinance and microcredit in order to equip community members with a more robust coping mechanism in instances of destruction brought about by disasters. A rigorous assessment of the safety of all schools and public health facilities and integrate education programs and training on disaster risk reduction in schools and local communities Strong governance framework limiting political and security instability and mitigate negative effects of abuse of authorities Risk sensitive school site planning, design and construction, reflecting local conditions’ needs. Retrofitting of schools located in more disaster and hazard prone areas should be considered. Stricter enforcement and widespread awareness campaigns on solid waste management 36 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Enhanced and improved healthcare provisions for community members- ensuring availability of medicines and trained professional health workers Skills training should be provided to capable members of the community to make them more productive and able to respond to disasters R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 37 Chapter 2 GEOPHYSICAL ASSESSMENT Introduction The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) has cited that the Philippines is frequently subjected to various types of hazards which have been increasing throughout the years. The country’s geographical location and physical environment make it vulnerable to natural hazards such as tropical cyclones, floods, extreme rainfall, thunderstorm, storm surges, strong winds and tornadoes, among others. Every year, these hazards bring havoc to life and property, seriously disrupting the Philippines’ agriculture-based economy and endangering the lives of millions of Filipino families. To address these issues, national and local entities have prepared and implemented contingency or disaster risk reduction plans for mitigation. Disaster risk reduction plans are very important for the community because these serve as their guide or basis if something happens. It must be noted, though, that existing plans leave much to be desired. Knowing now about the background and socio-economic profile of Barangay San Jose, a spatio-temporal geographical assessment is the next step towards a comprehensive and effective disaster risk management plan for the community. This geophysical assessment intends to assess spatial and historical geophysical risks, identify major geophysical hazards, and examine the exposure patterns of the community, which entail determining the factors that aggravate geophysical hazards, assessing impacts the impacts of these hazards and characterizing geophysical risk. Significance of the Study This Geophysical Assessment Plan is intended to be a reference or material that will aid and encourage community awareness especially about the different types of geophysical hazards or risks that they may face due to the extreme changes in weather conditions. As with this study, 38 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z this section aims to fill the gap in Barangay San Jose’s disaster risk preparedness, helping the community become resilient, adaptive and empowered as they face these natural hazards. As PAG-ASA has said, disasters cannot always be prevented, but its disastrous effects can certainly be mitigated if appropriate measures are adopted. Methodology Community Mapping According to Roaf (2005), community mapping enables communities to map details of where they live and their surrounding infrastructures. Community mapping is a process carried out by the community for the community, encouraging them to take action for themselves and each other. It is a development tool that aims to tap into and expand the breadth of knowledge and experience within communities to empower them and develop their capacity to deal with and create solutions for a variety of issues and problems. On September 7, 2013, the researchers conducted their participatory action research for the community of Barangay San Jose. Participants were divided into three groups based on their areas—Sitio Libis, Sitio Sabah and Sabah Muslim Compound. The groups were tasked to draw a map of their community, labeling the changes in land use and land cover as well as marking frequently flooded areas in preparation of the hazard map. Transect Walk A transect walk is a tool for describing and showing the location and distribution of resources, features, landscape and main land uses along a given transect. It can be used in identifying and explaining the cause and effect relationships among topography, soils, natural vegetation, cultivation, and other production activities and human settlement patterns. It also illustrates the present natural resources, land use, vegetation, changes in the physical features, and mobility in urban communities. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 39 Data Gathering For other pertinent information needed for the preparation of the hazard map, the researchers also used primary and secondary data. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions from Barangay San Jose residents were done to obtain first-hand information. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistic using frequency and percentage. Other data came from different sources such as the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) for the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the Municipality of Rodriguez made by the Santa Maria Planning and Research, Inc. Also, maps were gathered from various Philippines agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Lastly, Google Earth and a Geographic Information System (GIS) software were used to obtain satellite maps of the vicinity of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal. 40 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z GEOPHYSICAL ASSESSMENT Site Location and Physical Characteristics Geographical Location The Municipality of Rodriguez is located in the northernmost part of Rizal Province and is situated at the periphery of Metro Manila with Quezon City and Caloocan City bounding it to the west, the Province of Bulacan (particularly the municipalities of San Jose del Monte and Polo) to the north, Quezon Province to the east, and the municipalities of San Mateo, Antipolo and Tanay to the south. Rodriguez (popularly known as Montalban) lies between 14° 41’ to 14° 54’ north and longitudes 121° 07’ to 121° 22’ east. The distance of Rodriguez from the City Hall of Manila is 31 kilometers. It can be accessed via Aurora Boulevard – A. Bonifacio Avenue and J.P. Rizal (in Marikina) – Gen. Luna (in San Mateo) national roads. As for Barangay San Jose, it is bound on the north by Barangay Macabud, on the east by Barangays Mascap and San Rafael, on the south by Barangay Burgos, and on the west by Quezon City. Barangay San Jose lies between 14°44' 32" north and longitudes 121° 8' 0" east (Figure 1). R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 41 Figure 1. Site Location of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal Source: 42 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Land Area and Composition In terms of land area, Barangay San Jose represents 2.88 percent or 1, 045.28 hectares out of 36, 308 hectares of the Municipality of Rodriguez. Table 1. Land Area of Rodriguez, by Barangay BARANGAY AREA (hectares) Percentage Distribution Balite 53.88 0.15% Burgos 276.00 0.76% Geronimo 36.75 0.10% Macabud 1, 886.00 5.19% Manggahan 117.44 0.32% Mascap 7, 576.41 20.87% Puray 15, 437.70 42.52% Rosario 25.17 0.07% San Isidro 3, 792.00 10.44% San Jose 1, 045.28 2.88% San Rafael 6, 061.45 16.69% TOTAL 36, 308.07 100.00% Source: 1:50, 000 MUNICIPAL BOUNDARY AND INDEX MAP OF MONTALBAN CADASTRE (Cadastre 674) Topography Situated on the southern slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges, Barangay San Jose is composed of low-lying level terrain to moderately sloping and rolling lands. These areas have slopes ranging from 0-18 percent. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 43 Figure 2. Topography of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal Source: 44 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z Figure 3. Elevation of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal Source: Soil Based on the morphological approach in soil classification, the soils of Barangay San Jose in Rodriguez, Rizal can be classified as Novaliches Clay. This soil series occurs in two phases in Rodriguez, i.e., one with a slope range of 5 to 8 percent in Barangay San Jose and the other with R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 45 a slope range of 8 to 15 percent in Barangay Macabud. The former lies on undulating to rolling slightly to moderately dissected tuffaceous plain while the latter is formed on undulating to rolling low tuffaceous plateau. Both soil phases are slightly eroded and have a solum depth of 50 to 100 cm and a clay silt fraction of over 80 percent. This means that these are good soils for agriculture with their sufficient depth and nutrient (organic and inorganic) content. They are derived from volcanic tuff or adobe. In terms of landscape, they are found on residual/volcanic foot slopes. The 5 to 8 percent phase of Novaliches clay makes up 6.97 percent of Rodriguez’ area while the 8 to 15 percent phase constitutes 2.69 percent. Figure 4. Soil Map of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal Source: Natural Drainage Owing to its predominantly rough topography, Barangay San Jose, as part of the Municipality of Rodriguez, is drained by several major rivers which originate from the highlands of the Sierra Madre. These natural drainage systems include the Maly River, Mangos River, Montalban River, Puray River, Tanag River, and Wawa River. Practically all of these rivers function as tributaries of a much larger river system, the Marikina River. Rising from the uplands 46 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z in the northeast, they flow through the landscape and meander their way towards the southwest where they eventually meet and converge. Their combined discharge makes up the Marikina River, the biggest in the entire province of Rizal. This river passes through the towns of Rodriguez, San Mateo and Marikina southwards until it joins the Pasig River at Napindan. Both rivers eventually drain out into Manila Bay. It has been observed that during torrential rains, thunderstorms or typhoons, storm waters from the tributaries converge quickly at the Montalban and Puray river junction or catch basin and cause flooding in Barangays Rosario and San Jose. The main cause of this is rampant denudation of the forests in the surrounding hills of the watershed area. In the urban portion of Rodriguez, the existing drainage system of the underground sewers is inadequate to accommodate the sudden surge of storm water as the system covers only Barangays San Jose, Balite (Poblacion), San Rafael and Burgos. In addition, the unregulated flow of rain water by a deforested watershed has also caused soil erosion in some portions of river banks. Figure 5. Marikina Watershed Source: R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 47 Figure 6. Map showing the Marikina River and its tributaries Source: 2.1 EROSION POTENTIAL Erosion involves the dislodging, detachment, and removal of fragmented surface material by the action of the wind and/or run-off water. Although occurring naturally at a slow pace, this process is accelerated when man begins to disturb the landscape, especially when he removes the protective vegetation cover and utilizes the land for various uses. Various stages of erosion can be classified according to the extent of soil removal from the surface in relation to slope and its present land use. The rate at which erosion takes place is a function of slope, amount and intensity of rainfall, current land use and type of soil. Obviously, steep slopes are more susceptible to erosion than gentle slopes. Heavy and frequent precipitation, likewise intensifies erosion. Overall there is no severe erosion recorded within the vicinity of Barangay San Jose. The alluvial river valleys and lowlands experience mild erosion due to strong water current during flooding. 48 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z The occurrence of erosion can be seen in other areas of the municipality which is aggravated by intensive and uncontrolled quarrying and land development especially for the establishment of subdivisions. Figure 7. Erosion Potential and Flood Map Source: 2.2 LAND USE AND LAND COVER CHANGE Most of the lands in Barangay San Jose are classified as built-up because of the presence of various residential, commercial, industrial and institutional units. Based from the data gathered, there have been changes in the land use and land cover in Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal from 1989 to 2009 (See Figures 7 and 8). In Figures 7 and 8, it is very clear that the land use in Barangay San Jose has changed from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 49 Figure 8. Land Use and Land Cover Change of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal in the year 1972 Source: Figure 9. Land Use and Land Cover Change of Barangay San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal in the year 2009 Source: 50 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z 2.3 CLIMATE As part of the Municipality of Rodriguez, Barangay San Jose experiences a tropical rainy climate with hot summers. Based on a classification system published by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), its climate belongs to Type I. This is characterized by two pronounced seasons which are dry from December to May, and wet from June to November. Maximum precipitation extends from June to September. 2.3.1 Rainfall The rainfall regime in the area is dominated by the monsoons which render a seasonal variation in precipitation. It receives sufficiently abundant rainfall annually with total annual levels amounting to 2, 406.2 millimeters. In addition, there are 151 rainy days on the average, which means that more than 40 percent of the year it experiences rainfall. However, there is a distinct though short dry season from December to April which receives less than 60 mm of precipitation. This is compensated nonetheless by heavy rains in other months. In fact, seasonally excessively moist and brief dry conditions are characteristic of the monsoon circulation. During the high-sun period, which is otherwise considered as the summer season, an enormous amount of rain is released in association with the monsoon. The southwest monsoon is prevalent in the area in this time of the year, bringing wet conditions to the affected areas. Looking at the climograph and precipitation charts, it can clearly be seen that much of the rainfall is concentrated during these months. The wettest months are from June to October which receives more than 200 mm of rain. This rainy season often involves thunderstorms as the aforementioned months experience more frequent occurrences of thunderstorm and lightning. Besides the southwest Monsoon, the area is also affected by the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) which is also associated with rainy conditions. This further enhances the heavy summer precipitation. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 51 The rest of the year, however, has minimal precipitation. This low-sun season is dominated by the northeast monsoon which produces dry conditions. The rather short dry season is also due to the ITCZ, which is not overhead in this period. 2.3.2 Temperature Because of its latitudinal location, the sun is almost always directly overhead at noontime throughout the year. The area consequently receives an enormous concentration of solar energy which contributed to uniformly high temperatures year-round. As a result, it is consistently warm with all months averaging above 20 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, there is minimal fluctuation in temperature in the various months. The annual temperature range is below 5 degrees of centigrade. The average yearly temperature is also quite high at 27.1 degrees Celsius. Nonetheless, the hottest times occur before the summer solstice or prior to the onset of the summer monsoon, particularly during the months of April and May. Obviously, the warmest months are on the high-sun period when there is a high receipt of insolation (incoming solar radiation). These months, generally from May to September, have high relative humidities (moisture content of the atmosphere) because maximum evaporation is favoured by the prevailing temperature conditions. Hence, there is an abundant moisture available for precipitation, which also explains the wet conditions during this season. During April and May, the temperature somewhat diminishes. This is because of the heavy cloud cover associated with the wet southwest monsoon period which keeps away some insolation. Hence, the resulting temperatures are slightly slower in summer than the immediately preceding months. Nonetheless, these months are still relatively warm compared to the rest of the year. From October to March, the area experiences cold atmospheric conditions. The average monthly temperatures are below 27 degrees Celsius. This arises from the effect of the northeast monsoon which brings in cold Siberian winds. 52 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z 2.3.3 Prevailing Wind The prevailing wind direction that occurs more frequently are the northeasterlies because of the influence of the northeast monsoon. On the other hand, the winds are not quite strong. The annual average wind speed is only 2 meters per second (or approximately 7.2 kph). 2.3.4 Tropical Cyclone The typhoon season generally begins in June and ends in November, although it must be understood that the rest of the year is likewise affected by tropical cyclones that pass over Rizal Province. On the average, there are 22 to 26 typhoons that enter the Philippine area of responsibility, which often affect the municipality particularly Barangay San Jose. Despite this relatively high frequency, Barangay San Jose, together with the rest of the Municipality of Rodriguez, is protected from the destructive effects of typhoons by the Sierra Madre mountains. However, due to the extreme changes in the weather conditions brought about by global warming, Barangay San Jose has been victimized by Super Typhoons Ondoy and Maring and also Habagat which submerged majority of the areas in the vicinity. The places most affected by flooding are the Sabah, Sub-urban and Libis which are near the river banks. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 53 Figure 10. Inundation Map of Rodriguez, Rizal Source: 2.4 GEOLOGY The oldest rock units found within the Municipality of Rodriguez belong to the Cretacious Period of the Mesozoic Era (70-135 million years ago). These consist of the stratified rocks of the Kinabuan Formation which are mostly volcanic basalt as well as the intrusive gabbro in the northern portion of the town. Next to them is the Angat Formation of the Early Miocene during the Cenozoic Era (20-25 million years ago). Mostly, of well-bedded to massive limestone, it is associated with thin siliceous layers and limy sandstone partings. The lower clastic facies consist of thin strata of calcareous shale, clayey sandstone, sandy limestone and conglomerate. This formation is concentrated on the middle portion of the town and trending north-south. Also of the Cenozoic Era but of the Middle Miocene Epoch is the Madlum Formation, which is often found with the Angat Formation. Generally, it is subdivided into formations of an upper member (Buenacop Limestone), middle member (Alagao Volcanics) and a lower clastic member. 54 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z The Buenacop is fairly fossiliferous, cream to buff, massive or obscurely bedded in the upper layers while thin to medium bedded in the lower part. The Alagao consists of a consequence of agglomerate, tuff, argillite, indurated greywacke, basalt and andesite flow; the lower clastic member, however, is composed of a thick sequence of thin to thick-bedded calcareous sandstone and silty shale with conglomerate at the base. A more recent formation is that of the Guadalupe which dates back to the Pleistocene Epoch 0.5 to 3 million years ago. Within Rodriguez, the Guadalupe Formation overlies the Kinabuan Formation and is mainly located north of the built-up area. It is composed of thick strata of massive conglomerate, silty mudstone and tuffaceous sandstone. The youngest deposits, however, are the Quaternary Alluvium which is composed mainly of detrital deposits, mostly silt, sand and gravel. These are found along the alluvial basin of the Marikina River. With respect to its geologic structure, Rodriguez is a folded region. The mountainous and rugged areas are formed by great diastrophic processes which crumpled the earth’s crust. They actually comprise a series of anticlines and synclines having north-south orientations. A prominent geologic feature in the whole municipality is the Marikina Valley Fault System (MVFS). It is mainly composed of two major northeast trending faults. The east Marikina Valley Fault (EMVF) and the West Marikina Valley Fault (WMVF) traverse the Marikina Valley and the adjoining municipalities of Rodriguez, San Mateo, Antipolo as well as some portions of eastern Metro Manila. Even though the existence of the MVFS has long been acknowledged, its activity has yet to be fully evaluated. However, according to the Active Fault Mapping Group of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology (PHIVOLCS), field evidence deduced from topographic map and aerial photography interpretations showed previously unrecognized indications of recent activity. Geologic and geomorphic features such as offset streams, ridges, alluvial fans, well-developed scarps and other geomorphologically young fault-related features suggest a combination of rightlateral as well as vertical movement in the geologically recent past (which is some 10, 000 year. R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 55 2.5 URBAN AREA DESIGN 2.5.1 Storm Drainage and Facilities Flooding of urban barangays such as Rosario and San Jose when storm waters converge at the confluence of Montalban and Puray rivers due to the unabated deforestation of the Sierra Madre foothills. Barangay San Jose has also inadequate and clogged storm drainage systems. 2.5.2 Water Supply The principal source of water in Barangay San Jose is groundwater. Lowland barangays are currently under the service area of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). Barangay San Jose has two deepwell stations. The deepwell stations range in depth from 600 to 700 feet. Together they have an average monthly production of 136, 873.42 cubic meters. The deepwell station in San Jose II has the greatest monthly production, averaging at 45, 624.5 cubic meters. It is followed by the one in Aranzazu with average volume of 37, 493.61 cubic meters monthly. The third biggest is the Manggahan well with an average of 31, 826.82 cubic meters a month, comprising 23.25 percent of total production. Another 23.57 comes from San Jose well which has a daily output of 21, 928.49 cubic meters. (Refer to Table 1.2). Table 1.2 MWSS Deepwell Stations Deepwell Station San Jose San Jose II Manggahan Aranzazu TOTAL Source: Monthly Average WATER SENT TO DISTRIBUTION (cu. m) 21, 928.49 45, 624.50 31, 826.82 37, 493.61 136, 873.42 Percentage Share 16.02% 33.33% 23.25% 27.39% 100.00% DAILY WATER OUTPUT (mega liters/day) 0.74 1.50 1.06 1.25 4.55 Percentage Share 16.23% 32.98% 23.21% 27.48% 100% 56 | B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e , R o d r i g u e z 2.5.3 Bridges There are six (6) bridges within Rodriguez. Each one is made of concrete. The largest bridge is the E. Rodriguez in Barangay San Jose which is 120 meters long and 15 meters wide. Constructed in 1977, it is made of concrete and has a loading capacity of 30 tons. The bridge is old and weak, and need replacement. 2.5.4 Solid Waste Management The majority of the households in the municipality use burning as their method of waste disposal. The garbage collected in the municipality is dumped in a 300 square meter lot located inside Barangay San Jose and later burned. REFERENCES Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the Municipality of Rodriguez, Rizal by Santa Maria Planning and Research, Inc. Mussett, Alan E.; Khan, M. Aftab (2000). Looking into the Earth: An Introduction to Geological Geophysics. Cambridge University Press. Roaf, Virginia (2005). Community Mapping: A Tool for Community Organising. Guidelines for WaterAid Programmes and Partners. London: Prince Consort House. Russ, Thomas (2002). Site Planning and Design Handbook. USA: McGraw Hill. Telford, Willia Murray, et al. (1990). Applied Geophysics. Cambridge University Press. DOST Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards. Retrieved September 25, 2013, from http://www.noah.dost.gov.ph. Geohazard Maps. http://www.mgb.gov.ph Retrieved September 23, 2013, from R e s o u r c e E c o l o g i c a l A s s e s s m e n t | 57 Flood Forecast. 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DPWH report: Flood management master plan for Metro Manila and surrounding areas. Retrieved September 2013, from Official Gazette: http://www.gov.ph/2013/06/19/dpwh-report-flood-management-masterplan-for-metro-manila-and-surrounding-areas/ Frias, R. N. (2010). Barangay San Jose Socio-Economic Profile. Rizal. Frias, R. N. (2010). Socio-Economic Profile - Barangay Development Plan ng Barangay San Jose Rodriguez Rizal. Rodriguez, Rizal. Municipality of San Mateo, Rizal. (2009). About San Mateo Rizal. Retrieved from San Mateo.gov.ph: http://www.sanmateo.gov.ph/about.html National Statistical Coordination Board. (2009). Statistics: Family Income. Retrieved from National Statistical Coordination Board: http://www.nscb.gov.ph/secstat/d_income.asp National Wages and Productivity Commission. (2012, May 2). Region IVA: Daily Minimum Wage Rates. 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