Millennials might not believe this but there was a time in Metro Manila when those who went to Simbang Gabi had to wear coats, not just for porma (to look good) but to really keep warm from the cold that could fog up the breaths of massgoers. Indeed, there was a time one need not go all the way to Tagaytay or Baguio to see morning fog creeping up the streets, because Manila had it during the holidays, even as early as ‘BER’ months.
The contrast between past and present weather is quite noticeable even with the refreshing bursts of cold wind we get from ‘Amihan’ season. It has gotten hotter certainly, and not just in Metro Manila. Even Baguio, where one once needed to be wrapped up like an Eskimo because of its biting cold all year round, has been known to disappoint at certain times for being not as cold as before.
This year hot, dry weather was frontpage news around the world as well. Heatwaves broke out in Europe, Asia, North America and northern Africa. We saw destructive wildfires in California, Greece and Sweden.
2018 was on pace to be the fourth hottest year on record, according to the UN’s specialist weather agency, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
Climate change studies have found that global warming has increased heat records everywhere. But our country cannot simply blame climate change for the hot weather, as if there is not much we can do about it, because the reality is there are more than a few things we could do.
For instance, we could build more parks and other ‘green spaces’ to help keep our cities cool. We have plenty of examples that could serve as models—cities and countries that have successfully expanded green areas even as they urbanized and achieved significant economic progress.
For example, Singapore’s public spaces not only make sure people have enough space for recreation but also function as gardens that feature the best of its flora and fauna. According to the New York Times, Singapore’s population has doubled in the last 25 years and yet its green cover has increased from a third of the city-state’s area to nearly half.
Compare that to Metro Manila, which according to scientific estimates only has about 13 percent green cover left, losing its greenery as it became the most densely-populated city in the world, with over 42,000 inhabitants per square kilometer and a population estimated at 21.3 million.
Just a few decades ago, Metro Manila had more parks, trees and plazas than buildings, malls and condos, and classes were rarely suspended due to flash floods. Now it is one of the lowest ranked cities in the Asian Green City Index, a measurement of the environmental performance of 22 cities across the region by the Economic Intelligence Unit. It is no coincidence that nowadays even short, sudden downpours can cause floods and chaos on the streets.
We can still turn the clock backward and reshape Metro Manila and our other urban centers into green havens. More than one-third of the country’s wealth circulates around Metro Manila. It certainly has the fiscal strength to invest in green infrastructure and ecological projects. It is also blessed with natural endowments like the Manila Bay, the Pasig River and the few remaining parks and open spaces, mostly owned by the government, like the Arroceros Forest Park, Luneta, the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, the Quezon Memorial Circle and others. All these must be rehabilitated and preserved. The few remaining green spaces should no longer be allowed to be turned into high-rise condominiums, commercial buildings, concrete flyovers, even squatter colonies.
The Duterte administration’s national infrastructure development program ‘Build, Build, Build’ supposedly has a ‘Green, Green, Green’ component that aims to support city governments in building public open spaces, with a 2.5 billion budget for things like forest parks and botanical gardens, upgrading streets and waterfronts, revitalizing plazas, tree planting and other ‘green’ activities. This program needs to be implemented urgently and without corruption. We would like to see not only its success but its continuation in succeeding administrations. We certainly need more trees, parks, gardens and recreational spaces in our cities.
Industrialization, modernization and economic development should not automatically lead to congestion, overpopulation and pollution. The government can choose a better way by pursuing revitalization and urban renewal projects that promote health, sustainability and social responsibility, and these would have positive effects not only on the climate but the economy too.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano