There are many problems unfolding in Manila due to poor planning, and weak management and enforcement of regulations. Some of these problems include:
Pollution:
Only about 10% of sewage in Manila is disposed of properly. The rest of the waste goes back to the environment, most of it usually ends up in the sea.
Because of the poor waste treatment and high population growth, water pollution is a growing problem for the coastal areas.
Deforestation:
Even after a long time the forests in the Philippines continue to be under threat from agriculture and urbanisation, illegal logging and forest fires.
This is causing severe soil erosion, which is worrying as many of the Philippines’ species, which depend on these forests, are endemic (they cannot be found anywhere else in the world). For example, out of 180 native terrestrial mammal species, about 61% are endemic. Inconsistent regulations and laws, and lack of funding are making forest conservation a major challenge.
Loss of greenery:
Urbanisation and population growth have taken away almost all of green areas of Maila. Although small areas of greenery can be found, many of them sit on government-owned land and are threatened by development. Although most of these areas of land are disappearing. Although in Singapore, whose population is about 5.4 million people and has a land size about the same size of Manila, still manages to maintain half of its area green.
Coastal area development:
Coastal zone development has been damaging to the Philippines’ marine environment, especially to the coral reefs.
Because the population has increased, so have the needs for building materials and living space, many coral reefs have been extracted for construction, especially in coastal villages.
Poverty:
Much of the population in the Philippines is moving to the urban area from the countryside. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies has estimated that 4 million of the 11.5 million residents live in slums. It indicates that the population is increasing at a rate of 8% annually and is expected to reach 9 million by 2050.
Manila has been plagued by disastrous slum fires. According to the Manila Times around 10,000 people were left homeless by the most recent fire, which was in Makati, home of the largest business district.
Overcrowded:
Manila is one of the world’s most populated urban areas. In fact, there is around 43,079 people per square kilometre. Manila alone is the world’s most densely populated city, making other areas such as Kolkata and Mumbai in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh seem small. Manila was also ranked as the world’s most congested city.
SOLUTIONS:
Overcrowded:
Decongesting Manila should involve more than just building more roads for cars and constructing high-rise residences. A long-term plan should involve providing adequate housing in areas where it is needed, at prices that the people who need them most can afford. They should be built in areas with efficient transport that caters to the large amount of people.
Environmental Issues:
The Philippines has come up with a way to fix some of the environmental issues that it is facing due to the growth of population, this solution is called the Sustainable Development Strategy. The Sustainable Development Strategy includes suitable pricing of natural resources, conservation of biodiversity, rehabilitation of ecosystems, control of population growth and better environmental education.
Poverty:
A solution for poverty in the Philippines is more and more construction. They are building more high-rise buildings in areas of small land, which is a good and a bad thing. It is good things for all of those who live below the poverty line, it gives them a place to live and get away from the overcrowded ‘slum’ areas. Although this is also a bad things because doing this is leading to loss of greenery. The more construction there is the less green areas there are.
Pollution:
A solution to the pollution problem is the creation up of an Anti-Pollution Enforcement Agency. This could focus on development of areas with less pollution. It could also be used to enforce environmental laws and regulations.