This article was originally published on Real Estate Guide Magazine.

Whether you are a tenant or a landlord; whether your property is residential or commercial, living in Southeast Asia means dealing with rains and potential floods. Houses in the Philippines are under threat of being flooded every rainy season. Now, it is getting worse due to climate change. But how do you protect your house? How do you keep your business safe? Here are the TOP 4 ways to prepare and protect your property from flood. 

Flooding Background for the Philippines
The Philippines has two seasons – dry and wet. As it is on the usual path of tropical typhoons, the country’s wet season gets even more so. The majority of the Philippines is very flood-prone due to naturally low-lying living areas, poor sewage systems, poor drainage, or congestion. You could be dealing with one or all of these problems.

TOP 4: Location makes the difference

The first tip is to choose your location wisely. You won’t have to deal with floods if you don’t choose a flood-prone area in the first place. Location makes all the difference. For example, several areas in Metro Manila and San Fernando, Pampanga are flood-prone. Both are less than 10 meters above sea level and surrounded by creeks and rivers, a good enough rain can mean an inch or twelve of accumulated water. In San Fernando’s case, consider the adjacent areas like Porac, Mabalacat, or Angeles. All are less flood-prone and more than 70 meters higher than San Fernando.

Ask around and study the location first before you move in. Unfortunately, a simple google search will fail you here, recent urban development and the government’s push to build infrastructure may have rendered internet search results obsolete save for the occasional news article. Ask a local if there has been any flooding in the recent years.

TOP 3: Drainage and Pumping might help

If you are already occupying a space, better drainage systems with greater pipes and gullies are a good investment. Flood-prone or not, good pipes give you a good return on investment since they put in the work even with moderate rainfall. Take a look at how old your place is and see if any maintenance has been done since it was built. Chances are if it’s old, it’s due for a check-up. 

Annual maintenance and cleaning is crucial as well. Metal gutters are very prone to rust especially when clogged with wet leaves, dirt, and debris. The same goes for metal pipes although their use is uncommon these days.

TOP 2: Insurance against flooding will only pay one time

If you’re looking for long-term options, try looking into home insurance. Non-life insurance providers offer comprehensive packages for both homeowners and renters. It’s a safe bet as well; the Philippine Central Bank sees stability for insurance providers in the future, seeing as the market enjoyed a 10% to 30% annual growth. This solution however does not seek to prevent the flooding. Insurance will only reimburse damages up to a certain amount. It will only give you a one-time payout and should only be availed as an additional layer of security.

TOP 1: German Flood Barriers protect the house best

Long lasting, intelligent, and tangible – RS DEMOUNTABLE FLOOD BARRIERS are made of light-weight, marine-grade aluminum and are installed in between the entrances of your property. This technology has been invented in 1990 by Rainer Stepanek in Germany. Flood barriers are  secured by side channels with middle supports for longer distances. They can be quickly and easily installed by one person in case of rainfall. After use, they are dismantled, stored, and can be reused again and again.

There are so many existing types of barriers to protect your properties. Whether you need flood control solutions that emphasize mobility, maximum flood height capacity, or urgency of application, there is something that suits your needs. Privately owned flood control solutions are particularly important as you can’t rely solely on public projects. You need solutions that are available when you need them.
There you have it, our top 4 tips for dealing with flood in Southeast Asia. Have you taken steps to protect yourself from flooding? Sign up for our FREE newsletter for more tips on flood-proofing your property. Do you have questions? Send them to support@floodcontrol.asia and we might address them in a future article!