On Slums and Floods

Check out a NY Times article on Typhoon Ketsana revealing the Philippines' weaknesses in infrastructure and disaster-response preparedness. The article also covers the issue of relocating slum dwellers (which would clear waterways) and the political and culture barriers of doing so.

While shantytowns and residents' garbage disposal practices indicate issues of development and infrastructure in the Philippines, Evangeline Perdito reminds us that the the poor should not be blamed for the troubles of Metro Manila, but that the real culprits are poverty and a lack of employment opportunities. She states:

“Who would want to live under this bridge? We don’t, but where would we go? We cannot go back to the province because there’s nothing for us there.”