An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St.

Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,

Bulacan.
1

CHAPTER 1

The Topic and Its Background

Project Name:

An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the

Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Short Description of the Project:

Growing up in a town wherein heavy rain can be turned into an intense flood is a
common fear for all of the residents that are residing in that area can be tough. As
explained by a citizen who lives on Ruby St. in phase one of St. Francis Subdivision in
the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan. The flooding varies from the intense
rainfall that is experienced yearly by the country. The season in particular the month of
July until the month of August. The flood can reach up to 3 feet in depth reaching the
waist level of a person. The flooding in the pertained subdivision has been intensified
over the course of 48 years and is expected to be more intense as the years go by.

This Project is designed to create a simple analysis pertaining to the problem of

flooding. It sought to know the current status that the residents are situated in because of
the floods, and the current actions that the local government is doing to solve the said
problem. It also sought to know how the flooding occurs in the subdivision and to date
back when it specifically started. Lastly, it sought solutions on how to solve this problem
by asking the opinions of local residents and barangay officials on how to effectively
lessen and hopefully remove the problem. This study is only focused on the flooding in
the subdivision as it will not tackle any other environmental issues that is happening in
the barangay. Although, the environmental issue of waste disposal is partially included in
this project.
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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CHAPTER 2

Technical Necessities

Goals:

This study is aimed to create an analysis to flooding on the barangay of

Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Specifically, this study sought to achieve the following:

1. To help the citizens of the barangay alleviate the problem

2. To provide some information on how to solve or control the flooding in the

subdivision.

3. To raise awareness for barangay officials and local residents and hopefully to
the municipality of Meycauayan.

Objectives:

To achieve the goals that have been stated, this study is determined to:

1. Interview local residents and barangay officials on to what they think the
solution can be for the problem

2. Interview local residents and barangay officials to accumulate concrete

information on the topic

3. Give out a copy of this project to the municipality and the barangay

Resources:

This project is only limited to provide an analysis pertaining to the flooding in

Phase One of the Subdivision of St. Francis in the Barangay of Pandayan Meycauayan,
Bulacan. The project essentially require the following to be complete:

1. Series of Questions to be asked in the interview

Carefully selected questions are asked to the constituents of the particular interview.
These are as follows:
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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(For the Resident)

i) Since when did you experience the flooding in this subdivision?

ii) How did the flood affect you then and now?

iii) What are other ways/ some ways that you think that could help lessen the
flood?

(For the Barangay Official)

i) Since when did the flooding in this subdivision start?

ii) What is the primary cause of flooding in this subdivision?

iii) What are the current effort/s that the local government are doing to
control/lessen the flood?

iv) What are other ways/ some ways that you think that could help lessen the
flood?

2. Research

Certain topics that are answered by the constituents from the interview are needed to
be further evaluated. That is why research on certain key topics is needed for this project
to be successful.

3. Time

The most important factor in this project. Certain amounts of time have to be allotted,
both by the researcher and the constituents, to have an effective contemplation of ideas
and facts pertaining to the problem.
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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CHAPTER 3

Results

Presentation of Answers

This part of the chapter presents the specific answers given by the constituents of
the interview.

Answers from: Mr. Eric Sanggalang (A Resident in St. Francis Subd. Phase 1)

Gathered on: July 30, 2018 9:00 AM

1. Since when did you experience the flooding in this subdivision?

I have personally experienced the flooding in the subdivision ever since 1982, the
flood was not much intense then as of now. But the flood can be high from that time.

2. How did the flood affect you then and now?

The simplest word to describe it, disaster. I have experienced the worst then, yet
I continue to experience even worst right now. Back then the flood was very high but
it subsides very quickly, ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour. I can also go out then
and submerge my legs in the flood, but now it’s very hard to walk on it because the
water is murky and it’s hard to feel where you are stepping. It’s hard to experience
the flood, most especially when you are hungry and you cannot go out to buy food.
From minutes to subside then, it can now take hours before the flood can fully
subside.

Luckily, Mr. Eric Sanggalang was also a Barangay Official, Alongside Mr. Dan
Carsula, who is also a Barangay Official, the questions asked were the same to the ones
intended for the barangay officials.
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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Answers from: Mr. Dan Carsula and Mr. Eric Sanggalang (Barangay Officials in the
Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan)

Gathered on: July 30, 2018 9:00 AM

1. Since when did the flooding in this subdivision start?

Approximately, the flooding started in the 1970’s.

2. What is the primary cause of flooding in this subdivision?

The blockage in the “Tosang” or the concrete pipe is the main cause for
flooding. As the city gets more and more urbanized, the garbage also gets a lot. Some
of these trash that are not thrown properly by citizens get washed up to the pipe. This
blocks any water that can get through the small pipe and can result into flooding
when heavy rain starts to pour and it goes through the canal system and is having a
hard time to go through the blocked concrete pipes making the duration of the flood
longer before it subsides. The Pipe is only 4-6 cm in diameter and it wasn’t changed
since then. The geological status of the subdivision also adds to the factor of
flooding, it is as if like the subdivision is a catch basin of all the water that is poured
by the rain from the residing places such as the McArthur Highway, Meralco Village,
North Luzon Expressway, and St. Michael.

3. What are the current effort/s that the local government are doing to control/lessen
the flood?

As of now the local government is doing routinely clean-ups to remove

trashes that are blocking the concrete pipes. But as per the municipality of
Meycauayan, there are no other programs yet to further lessen the flood. It is only
the clean-up projects that the local government does to help the flood to subside
quickly.

4. What are other ways/ some ways that you think that could help lessen the flood?
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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The best way to further lessen the flood is to change the concrete pipe
completely, provide some new and bigger pipes for the canal system. The creek that
is situated near the subdivision should be dig well enough to add depth to it to help
the flood flow completely. Dredging should also be made, that connects the creek to
Valenzuela city to the Pasig River, so that the flood from the subdivision could be
disposed from there on.

Summary of Findings

The focus of the study was to create an analysis to flooding on the barangay of
Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan. This was supported by the answers given by Mr. Eric
Sanggalang and Mr. Dan Carsula, the flooding was already a problem since the 1970’s
and continued to be a growing one until now. It can affect citizens in a certain way that
they cannot do much when there is flood outside, they have to endure the pain of hunger
until the flood completely subsided. The depth of the flood can be dangerous as well to
citizens especially to their health (Insert RRL). From the murky waters that the flood can
bring it disables them to walk through it, making it hard to go to evacuation centers when
there is a need for immediate evacuation. The problem can be described as a Disaster for
it brings citizens un-comfort and certain risks to their health.

The main cause of the problem is from the size of the concrete pipes that is only
4-6 cm wide, and the trash that blocks it preventing flood water to flow continuously.
(Insert RRL about the minimum size of a Concrete Pipe). Trash disposal also is a factor
for the flood forcing the local government to create routinely pipe clean ups to allow the
flood water to subside quickly. Although the municipality and local government do not
have any plans as of now to fix the recurring issue of flooding, it is suggested that a
changing of concrete pipe into a bigger one is to be made. That is one way to make the
flow of flood water to be more continuously. It is also suggested that the nearby creek is
to be dug up in order to add depth to it allowing it to efficiently guide the flood water
away from the town without the creek overflowing. Lastly, it is suggested to have a
dredging that would connect the creek from Meycauayan to Valenzuela to the Pasig
River, wherein the flood water from the town could be disposed from there on. (Insert
RRL about Dredging)
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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CHAPTER 4

Timeline of Events and Documentation Pictures

Date Significant Events

1970’s Flooding started to occur in the subdivision

Flooding started to intensify in the subdivision. From 30

2000’s minutes to 1 hour before the flood subsides, It now became 1
hour to 2 hours.

Flooding in the subdivision became more intense. A minimum

2015
of 2 hours before the knee high flood subsides.

This project is being conceptualized on how to create an

July 2018
effective analysis towards the problem.

An interview with local barangay officials, Sir Dan Carsula

July 30, 2018 and Eric Sanggalang, took place on the barangay hall of
Pandayan in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

July 31 to August 8, Gathered pictures for documentation, and conducted several

2018 researches on how the canal system works in the barangay.

August 8, 2018 Finalized the output of the project.

Timeline:
 An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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Documentation Pictures:

The Spot Map of Barangay Pandayan with the Phase One of the Subdivision
of St. Francis Highlighted in Red

The street of Ruby, with our House highlighted

in Red
 An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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Streets wherein it usually floods to waist level (1)

Streets wherein it usually floods to waist level (2) Streets wherein it usually floods to waist level (3)

Streets wherein it usually floods to waist level (4) Streets wherein it usually floods to waist level (5)
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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Canal System of the Subdivision

Waist High Flood in the Subdivision

Flood inside of our house on Ruby Street

 An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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Creek situated near the subdivision Mr. Dan Carsula (left) and Mr. Eric Sanggalang (middle)
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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CHAPTER 5

Self-Analyzation

Reflection

Being a citizen of the subdivision as well, I have found my childhood to be

traumatizing by this flooding. I vividly remember every July to August, it’s either night,
day, or midnight. Wherein heavy rain would start to pour and we would already get
prepared to lift up all of the pieces of furniture inside the house because the flood always
goes inside and can have the tendency to break the furniture. I hate those memories
because those gave me a trauma to heavy rains. Usually people would enjoy the rain
because of the cold weather, perfect for a cup of hot chocolate or coffee while simmering
down to sit in a comfy chair that is faced to the window, observing the droplets of rain go
by window pane. Not for us, whenever there is heavy rain, we certainly know that there
will be heavy flood. That is why we don’t enjoy the so called “bed weather”.

The goals that I was trying to accomplish were achieved. I effectively

communicated with people who know more about the problem than I do. Going to the
Town Hall and talking to Barangay Officials were both overwhelming and exciting, I
have gained knowledge through their wisdom on the certain issue. I thought that this
project would be hard and very time consuming for them but it turned out to be better and
easier than I expected it to be. The project’s outcome successfully met my expectations
when I was planning it. I learned a lot and gained information on how to practically apply
the learnings in a civic manner. I see that this project can be a startup for many more
projects that I wish to accomplish.

Conducting this project gave me joy and ease to my heart that there can be a
solution to the recurring problem in our town. I have put every single effort into making
this and I am more than happy that I have conducted the environmental mapping project
on my hometown in Bulacan. I really hope that this project would be like a flick of a
flame that can ignite and jump start a great solution to further fix the flooding problem. I
An Analysis to Flooding in Phase One of St. Francis Subdivision in the Barangay of Pandayan in Meycauayan,
Bulacan.
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have also learned a lot about the geological stand point of my town and the reason as well
why the flood water takes too long before it can subside. Ever since then I only thought
that it was because of the accumulated trash but it is much greater than that. It was
actually the concrete pipe whose diameter is smaller than the minimum. I hope that the
municipality would look into the better solution that they can provide the citizens of the
subdivision. I also hope that this project would help the municipality see the way I see. A
better and flood-free subdivision, so that the heavy rain would not hunt us anymore, but
give us peace knowing that the problem have been solved, and worry no more.

Integration of Big History Concepts in the Service Learning:

The project opened a lot of opportunities for community development, but it also
opened my mind to the endless possibilities that this type of project can do. Similar to the
threshold 1, my idea about why the flooding occurs in our town is nothing, but when the
idea came up that I can make an environmental project about the problem in my
hometown. There was illumination in my mind. Hundreds and Thousands of ideas
continue to expand on how I was going to formulate my environmental project.
Suddenly, I achieved the so called “Goldilocks Condition”. I came up with the idea of
formulating only an analysis to the problem, it is not too complex and not too minimal.
It’s just the right amount of information.

The ideas presented by residents and barangay officials lit the project into a whole
new threshold. They provided concrete facts and evidences on how it can be managed to
fix the problem. Similar to threshold 2 wherein the stars lit up the sky. The process and
cycle of how the flood flows out of the town was explained giving a connection on how
stars are formed and destroyed.

The project gave me many wonderful insights, I hope that sooner or later, we will
create more projects like this that enables us to be more connected to the community and
to its issues. Be it environmental, social, cultural, and many more. I am now more
interested to do these things.