The Bulacan Airport Risk Nobody Explains Clearly

Is the New Manila International Airport (Bulacan Airport) an engineering marvel or an environmental time bomb? 🇵🇭

In this episode, I sit down with renowned Urban Planner and Architect Dinky von Einsiedel to discuss the massive San Miguel Corporation project rising in Bulacan. We dive deep into the alarming flood risk maps, the sinking land (subsidence) in Manila Bay, and whether the airport is blocking critical rivers that prevent flooding in the region.

We also discuss the state of Philippine Real Estate. I share my controversial thesis: Why buying a condo right now might be a bad investment. Is the market oversaturated? Are condos really "depreciating assets"?

Key Topics Discussed:
• The "Hidden" Flood Risk Maps of Bulacan (5, 25, and 100-year projections).
• Why Manila Bay is sinking 3x faster than the global average.
• The truth about "Reclamation" and mangroves.
• The disconnect between luxury condos and affordable housing needs.
• Incremental housing solutions for the Philippines.

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#BulacanAirport #SanMiguelCorporation #UrbanPlanning #PhilippineRealEstate #ManilaFlooding #NMIA #Investment #CondoLiving #DinkyVonEinsiedel #nationbuilding

Chapters:

00:00 – Rapid-Fire Take on Bulacan Airport
01:58 – Why Bulacan Was Chosen Over Other Airport Sites
04:13 – Sea Level Rise in Manila Bay Explained
06:28 – Building an Airport on Wetlands
08:45 – Rivers Blocked by the Airport Reclamation
11:00 – Flood Risk Maps: 5, 25, and 100 Years
13:15 – Losing Mangroves and Natural Flood Buffers
15:35 – Earthquake Risk and Land Subsidence
17:58 – Reclamation Projects in Manila Bay
20:09 – Environmental Impact Studies: Where the System Fails
22:30 – Local Governments and Technical Capacity Gaps
24:52 – Building on Rivers, Creeks, and Coastlines
26:59 – Fragmented Agencies and Broken Coordination
29:20 – Cebu Landslides vs Bulacan Flooding
31:45 – Land Ownership, Titles, and Risky Development
34:05 – Bulacan Land Use Plan Controversy
36:22 – Can San Miguel Fix the Problems?
38:40 – Airports, Condos, and Built-In Obsolescence
40:52 – Are Condos Depreciating Assets?
43:17 – Is It Too Late to Fix the Airport Design?
45:33 – Technical Expertise vs Political Pressure
47:52 – Reasons for Optimism in Philippine Cities
50:17 – Affordable Housing Crisis Explained
52:33 – Community Land Trusts & Rent-to-Own Models
57:10 – Incremental Housing as a Real Solution
59:29 – Dinky’s Work, Book, and Final Thoughts
59:00 - Dinky’s Book & Final Thoughts