EDITORIAL - Room for improvement

The worst is over and Typhoon Ruby or Hagupit is on its way out. The biggest weather disturbance of the year proved to be no Yolanda, to the relief of the areas that have not yet fully recovered from last year’s super typhoon.

This time, preparations of both the national and local governments were much better than the disorganized, shell-shocked response to Yolanda. Still, there are some areas that can use more improvements, particularly in assisting evacuees and in keeping track of fatalities.

The government continues to have a problem recording the number of casualties. Last year a police commander was sacked for announcing the estimate of a local government executive that the death toll could reach 10,000. The inevitable speculation was that the government didn’t like hearing the number soaring in light of President Aquino’s previous marching order to ensure zero casualties. Bodies continue to be found in the Yolanda-hit areas even as the confirmed death toll stands at over 7,000.

In the case of Ruby, national disaster mitigation officials are bickering with the Philippine Red Cross over the gaping disparity in their death estimates. Proper coordination should lead to an accurate count.

Another problem area is the accommodation for evacuees. Because of memories of Yolanda, people readily moved out of their homes to seek temporary shelter as Ruby approached. Reports said at least half a million people were evacuated in the Visayas and Bicol regions. As in previous natural calamities, the evacuees were packed mostly into schools and churches, which aren’t designed to serve as temporary homes for massive crowds.

The sorry state of evacuation centers is a major reason for the refusal of many people to temporarily leave their homes even with disaster approaching. Seeing the overcrowded evacuation centers, several lawmakers are proposing the construction of permanent evacuation facilities in safe areas. Limited funding may not allow for enough centers, but the permanent facilities can augment the current sites. With the country visited regularly by natural calamities, it will be a worthy investment.