An accomplished architect and urban designer foresees a Hollywood movie-level disaster scenario for Luzon if and when another storm like typhoon "Ondoy" strikes the Philippines. Architect Felino Palafox Jr., founder and managing director of Palafox Associates, claimed that Laguna de Bay, the country's largest lake, "could meet with the Lingayen Gulf if another storm similar to Ondoy occurs." "The worst case that we at Palafox Associates see happening in case of another Ondoy is that the Laguna Lake would meet the Lingayen Gulf," Palafox said in a press conference at his company's head office in Makati City. A survey of the Philippine map shows that if such a scenario would happen, the entire National Capital Region (NCR) and much of the provinces in Central Luzon would be underwater - quite an epic deluge. "Baha lahat yan (Those would all be flooded)," said the renowned University of Sto. Tomas (UST) and Harvard-educated architect. The 60-year-old Palafox, who has done work in 33 countries, spoke in the context of how Laguna de Bay could be utilized as a viable water source or reservoir, given its tendency to swell and overflow during heavy downpour like what happened September of last year. "During and after Ondoy, Laguna Lakeshore was flooded for more than 65 days. From more than 80,000 hectares, the footprint of the lake expanded to 115,000 hectares," he explained.
"You could have fitted Metro Manila or Singapore in the lake." He said that this excess water could be stored or collected to supply potable water for the entire metropolis and would be more practical than building a new dam. "Laguna Lake is being used as water source in Alabang. I drank it for fifteen years between 1985 and 2000. Why can't it be done for the entire Metro Manila?" But first, the holding capacity of Laguna de Bay must first be increased through deepening, de-silting and dredging, Palafox reckoned.
"We could have huge volumes of water supply and a world-class urban waterfront development more than 200 kilometer long. Green islands or Eco-islands could be created out of the dredging and silting." He said that Palafox Associates has forwarded a total of 23 recommendations, including the Laguna de Bay-water reservoir plan, to the Aquino Administration. The same recommendations were passed to previous administration but were not acted upon, Palafox added
