Choose unity over conflict if we hope to rise as a nation

The launch of Oplan Kontra Baha, the government’s Greater Metro Manila Waterways Clearing and Cleaning Operations initiative, is a critical step in the right direction—not only in addressing the chronic flooding that has long plagued the capital region but also in rekindling a spirit the nation has sorely missed: genuine collaboration between government and the private sector for the common good.

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For decades, the Philippines has suffered not merely from natural disasters but from the more disastrous man-made calamity of disunity. Political bickering, corporate self-interest, and public apathy have often derailed efforts that could have propelled the nation forward. Our problems—be they floods, traffic, poverty, or corruption—are complex, interconnected, and too immense for one sector to solve alone. We believe that Oplan Kontra Baha, therefore, transcends a cleanup drive. It is a litmus test of whether Filipinos can rise above division and act together as one nation.