DENR to Pinoys: Learn from lessons of the past

MANILA, Philippines - Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje has urged Filipinos to learn from the lessons of the past to avoid another massive destruction from calamities, including the most recent typhoon “Pablo.”

“We’re hoping for a hazard-free, disaster-free 2013,” he said. “Thus, we are calling upon citizens to be more prepared for stronger typhoons that induce flashfloods and landslides so we can avoid a repeat of Pablo and other destructive typhoons.”

In a yearend message yesterday, Paje warned that the horrifying experience from recent devastating storms should ring alarm bells for everyone.

“It is a new normal that we all must learn to accept,” he said.

“Typhoons with strong winds, high gustiness and intense rainfall are the new normal and we must be prepared for these. We must accept the fact that because of climate change the typhoons become much stronger and the volume of rainfall has increased ten-fold.”

Paje said the gustiness of tropical storms entering the Philippines have increased.

The strength of 250 to 280 kilometers per hour is the “new normal,” he said.

Paje said people must consider building structures that can withstand powerful typhoons to prevent damage and loss.

“We therefore recommend that all houses and public buildings to be constructed must have the ability to survive strong winds and storm surge. We have to make sure that new buildings are able to resist the effects of typhoons and floods,” he said.

Paje called on local government units (LGUs) to strictly enforce the “no man’s land” rule in permanent danger zones that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has identified  to mitigate the effects of flashfloods and landslides.

“LGUs must have political will to evacuate and, even in the worse scenario, force the evacuation in certain areas or communities that are within permanent danger zones,” he said.

Paje said the massive devastation following the onslaught of Pablo should prompt local governments to review and carefully study the geohazard maps prepared of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to pinpoint barangays prone to landslides and floods.

“Once again, we are appealing to the LGUs to please read carefully and familiarize themselves with the geohazard maps, and use them not only for planning but more importantly to save lives,” he said.

The DENR has already distributed to close to 70,000 copies of the geohazard maps to local governments and the 42,000 barangays nationwide.