Typhoons, floods, waste

Lola Basyang is a well-loved grandma of many Filipinos because of her story-telling. May Typhoon Basyang be just as kind/kinder as it proceeded to pass through or stop over many areas in Mindanao and the Visayas yesterday, Friday, as forecast.

Typhoons, floods, waste are very common in this country.

Given that the Philippines is located within the typhoon, earthquake, and volcanic belts and waste continues to be a major problem, wouldn’t it be wonderful if every year, our disaster and waste management continue to improve, be more effective in protecting our people, communities, and resources?

Our disaster alerts are improving, but of course, can still be improved.

Timely information and action have helped to alert people and communities to take appropriate precaution to avoid any harm, injury, death, or destruction.

Better, wider, more accessible and reliable communication systems need to be prioritized throughout all barangays. More and better quality-equipped evacuation centers and areas need to be installed and ready soonest too. Gender/age/PWD-friendly emergency and disaster kits also should be available immediately upon need.

Disaster-ready teams, facilities, equipments should already be identified and organized by now at all levels, coordination team and networks as well already in place.

For sure, there must already be a checklist of what to do, what to prepare in case of disasters that hit one or more areas simultaneously? Are public and private teams regularly assembled to review, rehearse, implement disaster-related tasks and coordination, ready to respond appropriately anytime?

Typhoons and even just heavy, long rains cause floods. Waste/garbage as well. Typhoons, floods, garbage come together in threes. As this is a given reality, may each year bring better management of these triple threats.

Flood-control projects are now under serious investigation for corruption and for being ineffective versus floods. May the billions stolen be restored to be used for the welfare of our neediest. May the corrupt thieves be jailed and duly punished. May corruption at all levels also be closely monitored, stopped, and penalized. May all public funds and allocated for the welfare, especially of our need be spent and accounted for.

May everyone, not just government, also do their share for proper, effective disaster, flood and especially waste management.

Everyone knows that whenever there are rains and floods, everyone’s dirty, stinky, harmful waste are all over, clogging outlets, drainages and streets affecting the health of children and adults, of communities.

May every typhoon, heavy rain and floods awaken everyone to see before their eyes the harm that their own garbage brings. And may the next typhoon, heavy rain, floods see less garbage, more responsible waste management from all.

Lessons can be learned from every typhoon and flood we experience. May each lesson learned bring us closer as a people and encourage us to form a working, collaborative multisectoral/multilevel public-private team/network better equipped to manage disaster and waste each time.

The present participatory, multisectoral, multilevel inclusive approach for waste management of Mayor Archival is a positive step not only to solve the garbage problem but also those resulting from floods and disaster.

Active Church partnership, led by Cebu Archbishop Abet, is a very crucial key factor for solving waste, flood and typhoon-related problems as well!

Involvement for disaster and waste management of civil society organizations, business/industry, academe, all other sectors should by now be tested, and implemented for effective, timely response when need arises.

Of course, it’s natural for all to be concerned about typhoons, floods and the problematic waste situation in our midst.

May everyone’s concern translate into meaningful, effective partnerships and initiatives for effective disaster-waste management soonest.