Weathering the storm

Like the repeat of a scary movie on television or re-reading a novel that gave you the chills, the Philippines once again found itself literally bracing for the storm late last week and over the weekend as the strong, then weaker, then strong again Typhoon Ruby slowly and steadily made its way towards the country, rightfully alarming everyone and admittedly causing quite a bit of panic.

It’s understandable. We have still not gotten completely back on our feet since Yolanda devastated Tacloban and several other provinces last year, and as 2014 came to close I think we were hoping that we would at least get through one year without a major disaster. It did not help that after Yolanda (or Haiyan) hit us last year that weather agencies predicted that the storm brought in a new era of super typhoons that would one day become the norm. The very thought of that still terrifies me as it should terrify all of us. We only barely survived Yolanda. What would we do if that became the norm? And how could we possibly survive another one so soon?

Such were the thoughts that were going through everyone’s mind last week as news of Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) began coming out on television, in newspapers, and online. Due to the many changes the storm went through before actually making landfall, it was difficult to predict just how strong it would be or just how bad the damage would be when it was over. Many different agencies gave their predictions on storm paths and possible storm surges, and while there was so much information out and available at any given time, the one thing all agencies agreed on was that the storm was going to hit the Philippines.

It was agonizing wondering what was going to happen. And I’m sure that everyone felt the same way over the weekend. The one good thing about the slow moving weather phenomenon was that, for once, we were truly given ample time to prepare. The agencies got the forecasts out there as early as possible and people were advised on when the storm would most likely arrive and what precautions they should take to ensure their safety.

I was happy to note that this time it seemed that people actually heeded the warnings and took precautions. I saw that several provinces that were predicted to be in the direct path of the storm were evacuated as much as possible and the citizens taken to higher ground. And even here in Manila, many offices called off work and schools suspended classes early instead of at the height of the storm when employees and students had no possible way of going home. This is a step up as in the past we would attempt to keep things open and only call off class or work when things got really bad, leaving many stranded and alone.

We did our preparation at home as well. We took out the emergency lights, charged all the gadgets, and made sure that we have ample supplies. In my daughter’s home I know they also did what they have to do to ensure that they would be able to weather the storm, including ensuring they have necessary survival kits in case of the worst – or “Go Bags” as they are sometimes called — filled with essentials like clean water, medicine, food, bandages, and the like.

All of this was done over the weekend before the storm truly hit and when it finally arrived we could see the strong winds and rains ripping through Samar and other parts of the country. My heart went out to those who experienced the hit, especially since they are most likely still very traumatized by what happened with Yolanda. I know that going through this must still be incredibly hard for them. I just hope that the forward planning we were able to do because of early warnings helps make it more bearable.

We still have a long way to go when it comes to disaster and risk management. Let’s face it, climate change is happening and will continue to affect the world – and us (and other countries by the sea) the most over the next few years. There will come a time when strong storms are the norm and our usual method of “preparing” is just not going to cut it anymore. We have to make long and lasting changes including investing in infrastructure and development with experienced and insightful engineers and architects who can predict how to build sea walls, roads, and structures that can withstand the winds and rains, and not just allowing our government officials to award contracts to the cheapest bidders while pocketing the extra money. I think, when it comes to disaster preparedness, we need to invest instead of going by the age-old Filipino adage of “pwede na.”

I read an interesting piece of satire online the other day that said that our flood protection and building codes and infrastructure requirements would surely be much better if our government officials were mandated to live in areas that are known to be prone to flooding and disasters. If these mayors, senators, or congressmen and women lived near rivers that flooded or roads that crumbled and gave way, how fast can you bet these problems would be addressed and solved?

Personally, I don’t want to fall back into the blame game, but changes do have to be made faster. While I am very happy that this time around we at least acknowledged the problem earlier and tried to take whatever precautions we could, I still maintain that there is so much work to be done. We have to be insightful and innovative and look beyond just trying to “make it through.” Hopefully, more long-lasting ways of dealing with monsoons will happen sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, we once again pick up the pieces of the damage that Ruby has done. I pray for our countrymen, who are once again left losing their homes, their possessions, or worse, their loved ones, in the wake of the storm. I hope we can all do our part to not only help them this holiday season, but also to remain vigilant and continue to demand that our government be more proactive when it comes to the future of our country’s flood control and disaster preparedness.