After years of flooding, Philippine village turns to bamboo, oyster shells and coconut waste to keep rising waters at bay

For years, residents of Pamarawan, a small fishing village on the edge of Manila Bay in the Philippines, watched floodwaters enter their streets and threaten homes whenever strong monsoon winds or typhoons sent waves crashing towards the coast. Even a concrete breakwater, standing up to four metres high, was not enough to keep the water out. During storms, waves would rise almost a metre above the barrier, directly hitting houses built beside it.But the village's approach to protecting itself has taken an unusual turn. Instead of depending only on more concrete walls, Pamarawan has begun using bamboo poles, discarded oyster shells and coconut husks to create a nature-based coastal defence system. The initiative is designed not only to weaken incoming waves but also to trap sediment, encourage mangrove growth and help restore marine habitats.According to a report by Mongabay, local officials say the village has gone almost two years without flooding since the project began. They also say Pamarawan escaped the severe flooding that affected neighbouring communities in August this year, when several parts of Bulacan province were inundated for weeks.Bamboo, oyster shells and coconut hu...