I.

INTRODUCTION

Canocotan is an urban barangay in the city of Tagum, in the province of Davao del
Norte with a land area of 769 hectares. It consists of 11 puroks and its population,
according to the 2015 Census, is 8,136 which represents 3.14% of the total population
of Tagum City. Canocotan shares a common border with barangays Madaum, San
Isidro, Visayan Village, Bingcungan, and Mabaus. Barangay Canocotan is situated at
approximately 7.4037, 125.7772, in the island of Mindanao. The elevation at these
coordinates is estimated at 20.1 meters or 65.9 feet above mean sea level.

I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Floods are one such hazard which has an effect directly proportional with the urban
development of a specific area. The term “Flood” is very much relative. A particular
quantity of precipitation might be a common phenomenon in forest areas; the same
might be a normal rain in villages and it might be considered as a Flood in an urban
scenario (Nisar, 2018). There are various ways to define what a flood is. With that being
said, floods are often classified on the basis of the place, time and the cause for it to
occur. The Cambridge dictionary defines flood as “a large amount of water covering an
area that is usually dry”.

Barangay Canocotan lies in the tropic region, making it susceptible to the humid
tropical wet climate that is experienced by most of Earth’s rainforests. In the past few
years, the barangay experienced heavy rainfall that typically lasts for days. As a result
of this phenomenon, floods take place because there are more rains bringing water than
it can be drained or absorbed by the soil.

A drainage system is a pattern formed by the streams, rivers or lakes in a particular

drainage basin. They are regulated by the land’s topography, whether a particular
region is dominated by hard or soft rocks, and the gradient of the land. The experts
responsible for these construction projects are civil or site engineers. The engineers set
out from the plans of all the roads, streets, gutters, drainage, culverts and sewers
involved in construction operations. The number, site, and shape of the drainage basins

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found in an area vary and the larger the topographic map, the more information on the
drainage basin is available (Ylaya, n.d.).

This study focuses on how an efficient drainage system can prevent the occurrence
of floods. Addressing this problem with flood due to heavy rains and poor drainage will
be of immense help in improving the quality of life of the citizens of barangay
Canocotan.

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Flooding of areas used for socio-economic activities generates various negative

impacts. The magnitude of these adverse impacts depends on the vulnerability of the
activities and population and the frequency, intensity and extent of flooding.

This study aims to look at the prospect of having a stable drainage system in
Barangay Canocotan, Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions:

1. Is it necessary to have a new drainage system in Barangay Canocotan?

2. What is the appropriate approach and mitigation should be addressed to
solve the flood issues?
3. How will this help the everyday lives of the citizens of Batangay
Canocotan?

III. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Last January 2019, 15 out 23 Barangays in Tagum City were swamped as the
tail of a cold front brought continuous rains in the region. Canocotan is one of the most
affected Barangays in the city. The severe flooding led to suspension of classes,
destruction of crops, and evacuation of the inhabitants of the barangay. With this, a
resolution was broadcasted by the city government declaring a state of calamity in the
city of Tagum “due to the damages caused by flash flooding as a result of the incessant

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rainfall brought by the tail end of a cold front” (Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Tagum
City, 2019).

The overall objective of this study is to determine whether Barangay Canocotan

needs a new drainage system to alleviate the detrimental consequences of floods yet to
come to improve the ways of life of its residents.

IV. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study may be beneficial to the following:

Barangay Canocotan Residents. It may be able to help them in preparing

themselves in times of floods by being knowledgable enough to know the extent of the
possible impacts that a flood may bring.

Government. It may be able to help them effectively solve the drainage

problems in the Barangay. Additionally, it may be able to help them prepare for future
disasters through the establishment of infrastructures to house the residents affected by
disasters.

V. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Flood……………………… The temporary inundation of land by expanses of

water that overtop the natural or artificial banks of a
watercourse, including a drainage channel, stream,
creek, river, estuary, lake or dam, and any associated
water holding structures

Urban………………………

Drainage system…………. A system of gully inlets, pipes, overland flow paths,

open channels, culverts and detention basins used to
convey runoff to its receiving waters.

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Barangay………………….. The smallest administrative division in the Philippines
and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or
ward.

VI. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In the year 1936, this place was mostly inhabited by Mansakas, Cebuanos, and
Bul-anons. These people lived in barong-barongs and lived off crops from their own
farms. Some of the elders in this community formed a group to honor and praise God.
They gathered wood and other materials needed to build a chapel that they longed for
quite a long time. After the chapel was built, they named it after the Portuguese Catholic
priest and friar, “San Antonio de Padua”.

As the population increased over the years, the place was named by its residents
as “Sitio Lawaan”. In the year 1949, some of the Muslim brothers and sisters in the
community decided to build a school near the cross roads in Madaum.

According to the barangay’s records, a Datu called Dipunto Datu Bungad stated
that the name “Canocotan” or “Barrio Canocotan” was derived from the name of a
nearby river called “Canocan”. This river grew larger in size as the years passed by and
was renamed as “Canocotan Creek”. The length of the Canocotan Creek reaches the
east Barrio, Barrio Visayan Village which supplies the water for the capital town.

In 1956, the place was officially named as “Canocotan” as stated in the resolution
which also made it a barangay.

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VII. PRESENT ISSUES

Problems

Barangay Canocotan is a peaceful urban community. On the contrary, the

Barangay experiences occasional accidents on the National Highway road as some
drivers tend to go over the speed limit and lose control of their vehicles. Other than that,
there are no significant problems that emerged from the Barangay.

Programs of the Barangay

Barangay Canocotan has facilities to cater the needs of its residents. The following
are the existing facilities of the Barangay:

1. Barangay Health Center

2. Barangay Hall
3. Barangay Day Care Center
4. Elementary School
5. Canocotan Tribal Center

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VIII. PERSONAL COMMENTS & OBSERVATIONS

Flooding is a natural occurring phenomenon for all bodies of water. Floods

usually cause havoc by affecting life and property. It depends upon the intensity of
floods and nature of the area they have passed through, that what toll and fate the flood
prone area goes through (Nisar, 2018).

Both the negative and positive consequences of floods vary greatly depending on
the location and extent of flooding, and the vulnerability and value of the natural and
constructed environments they affect. As most people are well aware, the immediate
impacts of flooding include loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops,
loss of livestock, and deterioration of health conditions owing to waterborne diseases.

It is apparent that the population growth and economic development of the

Barangay are leading to rapid changes in our ecosystems. To assess the
consequences of flood, the changes from human activities and development of
technology and infrastructure need to be examined in detail for better development of a
region and to control further damages. Although floods cannot be stopped from
occurring, its impact can be minimized by studying the causes and consequences of
floods. Various measures for management of floods will ultimately lead to reduction in
susceptibility to floods. The flood as a natural hazard has effect on the society’s stability.
If more people reside in vulnerable areas and more and more businesses settle down in
these areas the more intensive effect a flood event will have upon society. It will be
necessary to evacuate more buildings, provide emergency accommodation for more
people. The infrastructure to repair after a flood event will be more extensive as well.
Overall, floods have impact on both individuals and communities, and have social,
economic, and environmental consequences (Nisar, 2018).

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IX. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

Flood has been one of the main problems in Barangay Canocotan during heavy
rains for quite a long time. The water can reach knee-deep or higher than that if the rain
last for hours. People and establishments in the area are directly affected every time a
heavy rain occurs. Students from the nearby schools are forced to skip classes and
citizens who have jobs find it hard to go to their respective workplaces as well. It has
been a burden not just to students and workers but also to the farmers and their crops
and livestock.

Canocotan was part of the “three-year rolling infrastructure program” of the

Davao region for the Tagum-Libuganon river flood control in the year 2015, however, it
was not sufficient enough to prevent or lessen the effects of the floods that followed
(Davao Region, 2018).

During heavy rainfalls similar to what happened in January, the excess water that
do not naturally seep into the ground can cause casualties and negatively affect the
land, structure and interfere with the lives of the people. In order to prevent the excess
water from flowing towards the low-lying land, an effective drainage system needs to be
built do direct the water into river or creeks that can hold the water long enough until it
reaches the sea.

These floods cause many disasters to land, people and their properties. It also
destroys road and railway networks in the affected area, so transportation of goods is
affected, which also causes the economy to suffer. Moreover, the government has to
invest huge amount of funds and manpower in the rehabilitation of the people and
industries in the affected areas, which causes the economy to suffer at the national
level. Economic damage from natural hazards can be prevented and always mitigated.
However, private institutions tend to underinvest in such measures due to problems of
collective action, information, and myopic behavior. The government, who has the
power and the ability to correct such market failures, face incentives to underinvest in
costly disaster prevention policies and damage mitigation regulations. Yet, disaster

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damage varies greatly across countries. A single event may produce both benefits and
losses to the areas affected by the disaster (Nisar, 2018).

Furthermore, Climate change is expected to affect flooding through changes in

rainfall, temperature, sea level and river processes. It will worsen the existing effects of
flooding on some infrastructures and community services such as roads, stormwater
and wastewater systems and drainage, river flood mitigation works, and private and
public assets including houses, businesses and schools. Climate change may change
flood risk management priorities and may even increase the risk from flooding to
unacceptable levels in some places. Thus, it is highly essential that the flood risk
assessments of the Barangay include a complete understanding of the possible impacts
of climate change on this hazard (Ministry for the Environment, n.d.).

Recommendations

The following are the suggestions based on the data gathered and conclusions of
the study:

1. It is recommended that the city government of Tagum City should build a new
and efficient drainage system to mitigate or prevent casualties in times of
floods.
2. It is recommended that the city government of Tagum City should consider
constructing a relocation center that can accommodate the residents of the
flood-prone area.
3. It is recommended that the residents of Barangay Canocotan should re-
assess their houses and fix minor damages to prepare for future disasters
such as flooding.

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X. REFERENCE

Cambridge Dictionary. (2019). flood. Retrieved November 8, 2019, from

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/flood.

Davao Region. (2018). Davao Region Three-Year Rolling Infrastructure Program (TRIP)
2015-2017. Retrieved November 9, 2019, from http://nro11.neda.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2018/04/DRTRIP2015.pdf.

Ministry for the Environment. (n.d.). Preparing for future flooding: A guide for local
government in New Zealand. Retrieved November 8, 2019, from
https://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate-change/preparing-future-flooding-
guide-local-government-new-zealand/conclusion.

Nisar, J. (2018). Floods in Kashmir and Tajikistan a comparative study of causes

consequences and mitigation process. Retrieved November 9, 2019, from

https://sg.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/216606.

Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Tagum City. (2019). Canocotan. Retrieved November 9,

2019, from http://sp.tagumcity.gov.ph/canocotan/.

Ylaya, R. (n.d.). THE PROPOSED NEW DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN CEBU

TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY – MAIN CAMPUS. Retrieved November 9,

2019, from https://www.academia.edu/15358923/THE_PROPOSED_NEW
_DRAINAGE_SYSTEM_IN_CEBU_TECHNOLOGICAL_UNIVERSITY_MAIN_C
AMPUS.

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