Sections Global Warming Global-warming Articles Not Meant to Destroy RP Property Values If Metro Manila Will Be Under Water
| Global-warming Articles Not Meant to Destroy RP Property Values If Metro Manila Will Be Under Water |
This writer received calls from two Filipino-American Realtors about the series of articles being published in this online magazine. The series is dubbed a “Filipino Version of ‘The Manhattan Project (TMP),’” which is now on its tenth installment. The Realtors asked if I was trying to destroy the property values in the Philippines, especially in Metro Manila. They said that the Filipino real-estate world would not like to read and much more hear about the disastrous effects that might be caused by climate change (global warming). Readers may recall the fearless forecast of this writer that eventually Laguna de Bay, the Manila Bay and even the seven lakes of San Pablo City would someday become "one body of water." If the forecast would come true, this would mean of course that most of Metro Manila and adjacent areas would be below sea level any time from 2020 to 2099.
I said that I was simply delivering a message. The Filipino business and government leaders should not “kill” the messenger but they ought to deal with the message.
The Philippine government and the Filipino business world must prepare for the projected increase in the sea level. Millions of Filipinos have to be resettled to higher grounds when the sea level goes up by several feet, which would inundate many coastal cities and towns in the Philippine archipelago.
In fact I was able to deliver the message to two distinguished visitors from the Philippines during their recent visits to Los Angeles, California. The visitors were Atty. Winston F. Garcia and David L. Rafael. Atty. Garcia is the president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Mr. Rafael is the general manager of Ayala Land International Sales.
This writer was able to tell the GSIS top honcho of my series about the need for a Filipino “TMP.” I told Atty. Garcia that perhaps the GSIS should now be planning a contingency plan for the projected catastrophe caused by global warming. The GSIS is the biggest insurer of real property in the Philippines and all of its borrowers – if the real estate is not yet fully paid – would probably abandon the property mortgaged to it if and when it becomes part of the sea. He said that he would look into it. Perhaps the GSIS should now increase the reserve that lenders and insurers normally carry in their books of accounts to prepare for this fortuitous event, an act of God, which normally invalidates contracts.
I asked Mr. Rafael if Ayala Land, which is probably the best and biggest real-estate developer in the Philippines, has factored global warming in its risk analysis. He said he would look into it and get back to me. Overseas-Filipino buyers now account for 37% percent of the Ayala Land sales and many of them, especially Filipino Americans, know of the warnings by, and apprehension of, Al Gore and Company. Unless Overseas Filipinos will like to use canoes or gondolas in visiting their expensive detached homes, condominiums or town houses in choice Philippine properties two to three decades from now, the outlook for real-estate investment in low-lying areas appears bleak.
Let us wait for formal replies from the GSIS, Ayala Land executives and other officials in the Philippines for a continuation of this dialogue. # # #
The above is a Flood Simulation Map. Select the Flood level (in meters) to see how an area is affected. The darker colored areas would be the areas under water. You can also DRAG and PAN the image map to select a larger overview or a more detailed look of a specific area. Click on the plus and minus icons to zoom in or out (or double-click). This map was suggested by Nat Duenas - Data from NASA - app from flood.firetree.net
In the sad event of the sea level rising - well, there would be much, much bigger problems to deal with than the "loss" of real estate equity.
http://flood.firetree.net/
Nat John G. Duenas
Redwood City, California
I've embedded the Flood Map application into the actual article itself, so people could see the very interesting link that you are talking about.
Of course, I configured it to display the Philippines specifically.
Regards,
Allan - Webmaster
Ernie Delfin
Fountain Valley, California
Global warming threatens to flood Manila – WHO
By Sheila Crisostomo
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday that Asia's "delta megacities" like Manila and Calcutta in India "could be threatened" by river and coastal flooding brought about by global warming.
WHO noted that sea levels are expected to rise because of increasing temperatures, threatening those living in low-lying areas.
"Millions of people could face disease, poverty and hunger if Asia's arable lands become unworkable through changes in temperature, rainfall, river flows or pest abundance," the agency added.
WHO estimates that climate change and variability might be the cause of increase in the number of deaths – now at over 150,000 every year – from malaria, diarrhea, malnutrition and injury from floods. Half of them are in Asia and the Pacific.
"Global warming has already impacted lives and health, and this problem will pose an even greater threat to mankind in coming decades if we fail to act now," said WHO regional director for Western Pacific Dr. Shigeru Omi.
Omi added the effects of climate change would be difficult to reverse over the short term.
He claimed that while no country would be spared from the health impacts of global warming, the "first and hardest hit would be those where the health systems are already overburdened by disease and where under-nutrition is widespread and education poor."
WHO listed the possible consequences of global warming as "increased risks of extreme weather events to an expansion in the areas where disease-carrying mosquitoes are active, spreading from the tropics to cooler climates in both the northern and southern hemispheres."
As part of World Health Day celebration last Monday, WHO urged governments to put health at the center of policies on global warming and encouraged individuals to limit greenhouse gases.
Omi said most of the projected consequences on health are avoidable and controllable through "well known and tested public health interventions like immunization, disease surveillance, mosquito control and disaster preparedness."
He added that urgent action through changes in lifestyles and attitudes must also be observed to limit greenhouse gases.
"If this does not happen, the effects on the global climate system could be abrupt or irreversible," Omi maintained.
In Geneva, WHO chief Margaret Chan said the reality of climate change "can no longer be doubted. The effects are already being felt."
She cited climate-sensitive diseases such as dengue and cholera, which are currently present in South America and Angola, respectively, because of flooding. She also called for more progress in battling malaria.
Chan said the issue of health and climate change should be addressed by leaders of the Group of Eight developed nations at their meeting in Japan next month.
"Not addressing the climate change impact on health would derail their previous investment in supporting countries in development," she said.
In the Marshall Islands and South Pacific island nations, rising sea levels have already penetrated low-lying areas, submerging arable land and causing migrations to New Zealand or Australia, Omi said.
He said poorer countries with meager resources and weak health systems will be hit hardest because malnutrition is already widespread, with the young, women and elderly at particular risk.
Omi said unusual, unexpected climate patterns – too much rain or too little – will have an impact on food production, especially irrigated crops such as rice, and can cause unemployment, economic upheavals and political unrest.
Dr. John Ehrenberg, WHO adviser on malaria and other parasitic diseases, said unchecked human development has also contributed to the problem. That includes deforestation and an unprecedented level of human migration. As people move, so do diseases.
Omi said governments need to strengthen current systems providing clean water, immunizations, disease surveillance, and mosquito control and disaster preparedness. — AP
|
|