THE FLOODS OF ESPANA

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

Whenever the rainy season comes, I couldn't help but reminisce the days when I had to wade through the flooded streets of Manila to go to school or get home. 

Manila is an anomaly; it is below sea level unlike most cities of the world. 

A slight drizzle is enough to cause floods in its streets. 

The phrase "flash floods" has been coined to refer to the all-too-sudden surge of water to its streets.

Espana, the two-kilometer stretch from the University Belt to the boundary of Quezon City, has been the perfect barometer to measure the floods of Manila. 

When Espana gets flooded, we can always be sure that most streets of Manila are submerged in punishing flash floods. 

We don't really have to go around Manila to know the extent of floods. Espana is enough.

As a high school student at the University of Santo Tomas, I encountered numerous instances of flash floods that tortured this thoroughfare. 

The school authorities were then quick to suspend classes at the sight of an impending flash flood. But going home was always an aggravation. 

Floods of Espana were waist deep. 

It wasn't easy to navigate its waters because of the open manholes and floating debris. 

One could never be sure what would happen next when he steps on an open manhole.

Nothing much had changed when I went to college. 

Espana was never the road of choice for us. But we had to live with its floods, as if it was God's mandate for us to suffer its imperfection. 

We had learned to take the floods of Espana as normal, whenever the dreaded heavy rains started pouring.

But Espana has one quality that makes it different or even outstanding from the other thoroughfares. 

Despite the heavy rains and the subsequent flooding, its cemented road do wear off. I couldn't believe with my own two eyes that it never had any cracks or craters, which characterize the many cemented streets of Manila. 

Its construction is almost perfect.

Espana was cemented sometime in 1964 or 1965. 

Then, Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas, the half forgotten successor of the famous Arsenio Lacson, who died of heart attack, had it rebuilt and cemented. 

I don't know the private builder, I don't even know if it had one. But all I can say is that its builder knew its craft.

Moreover, I could also say that not much public money was stolen during its construction.

Probably, it was not then the habit to lose much money to graft during those days, unlike today. 

Thus, its builder had made Espana sturdy and strong to withstand the rigors of flash floods. Its design is almost flawless.

While Espana is a testament to the vagaries of nature, it's also a monument for Filipino ingenuity. 

It shows the Filipinos' capability and political will to build infrastructures that can last long. 

Unfortunately, the builder of cemented Espana has long been forgotten and lost to posterity. What a waste.