Yearender 2012 typhoons keep NDRRMC on its toes

MANILA, Philippines - The Year 2012 has shown once again that man is no match against nature.

No amount of preparation or technology could stop nature’s fury, as seen by the massive devastation left by the calamities that struck the country last year.

Super typhoon “Pablo” barreled into Mindanao on Dec. 4 and crushed everything in its path. Over a thousand were left dead, tens of thousands homeless, and hundreds missing.

“Seventy percent of structures – houses, government and private establishments like town halls, school buildings, barangay halls, health clinics – along Pablo’s path were destroyed,” said 10th Infantry division spokesman, Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza.

The cyclone kept almost everyone on their toes, especially the men and women of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) who, before Pablo struck, warned villagers in low-lying areas to prepare for the typhoon.

The NDRRMC, headed by Benito Ramos, a retired Army general, has been continuously conducting training and seminars in an effort to achieve “zero casualty” every time man-made or natural disasters strike.

As Pablo moved closer to the Philippine area of responsibility, the NDRRMC laid down its anti-disaster preparation, including the conduct of preemptive and forced evacuation of residents in danger zones.

That, however, was apparently not enough, as hours after the cyclone made landfall in Davao Oriental, news of massive devastation and death were reported.

The damage was such that it was almost impossible to deliver help to the victims, particularly with bridges down and roads blocked by mud and logs carried by rampaging floodwaters.

Several factors made the already difficult situation worse, like the lack of power, water, food and shelter; slow arrival of relief goods and medicine, and looting incidents.

Death toll and damage

The official death toll from Pablo, as of end December, stood at 1,067 with 834 missing, though hopes of finding them alive have dimmed.

Damage to government and private infrastructure and agriculture amounted to P34.4 billion.

Government and non-government organizations had already spent P259 million in food and non-food items distributed to thousands of evacuees.

The government said it is ready to spend P10 billion more for relief and rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-ravaged areas.

“What happened in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley was just like what happened in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, also in Mindanao, when ‘Sendong’ struck last year,” Ramos said.

Pablo, the strongest cyclone to enter the country in 2012, is expected to surpass the damage left by Sendong, which killed over 1,200 in December 2011.

Ramos expressed belief that despite what happened to the typhoon victims, with the proper assistance they would be able to rise again from the tragedy.

“We are resilient people and in every adversity, there will always be an opportunity for our people to rise above their sufferings and pains,” he said.

NCR not spared

Last August, floods spawned by the southwest monsoon submerged half of Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Luzon, leading to huge losses to both private and government infrastructure.

At least 12 people died and scores were injured in the floods that also destroyed agricultural crops in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.