EDITORIAL - Better prepared

Government officials led by President Aquino himself monitored preparations yesterday for the approach of what is shaping up to be another super typhoon.

With the international code name Hagupit, the typhoon locally dubbed Ruby continued to roar last night toward the same areas devastated last year by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

As experts warned of another storm surge, supermarket shelves were emptied yesterday by panicked residents in Tacloban, Ground Zero of Yolanda, and other areas in Leyte as well as neighboring Samar and the Bicol Region.

The President demanded regular updates on the path and strength of the storm. The order came on the heels of reports that two of his Cabinet members who were in Tacloban as Yolanda approached last year apparently did not get such updates and failed to order an evacuation in time.

Last year disaster officials were instructed to ensure zero casualties during natural calamities. Estimates of Yolanda’s death toll range from 6,000 to 10,000; the official count was stopped and identification of all the victims may never be completed. To this day remains of victims continue to be found. Since then there has been no marching order for zero casualties. Instead the President has warned that failure of officials to perform their duties would be unforgivable.

Even with the early preparations, the approach of another powerful typhoon is showing that the Yolanda-hit areas remain highly vulnerable. There are still tent communities in the affected areas, and many new or rebuilt houses are made of light materials. Rebuilding of public utility infrastructure is not complete and prolonged service disruptions are possible. Evacuation centers also remain inadequate if entire communities are displaced as in the case of Yolanda.

Still, both the national and local governments have learned their lessons and are now better prepared for the worst. The passage of Ruby should show where further improvements are needed in disaster response.