Philippines Facing Natural Calamities: Are We Really Prepared?
Based on the World Risk Index 2012, Philippines is the third among 173 countries most vulnerable to disaster risk and natural hazards and that it has an average of 20 tropical cyclones entering each year. Recently, the country encountered not just one, but three consecutive typhoons named Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses having a week of succession. Luzon was directly affected by the three typhoons having approximately 1.1 million people affected. Government put in place interventions to reverse environmental degradation and to improve the resiliency of local communities as a response to the natural calamities. However, week had already passed, and some are still waiting for relief goods and other necessary needs.
In response and to facilitate early recovery actions, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) recommended to the government to place the entire Luzon, home to over 60 million people, under a state of calamity following the impact of the recent typhoons. The provinces that already declared state of calamity include Cagayan, Isabela and Cavite, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.
July 2012, National Operational Assessment of Hazard processed the installing of over 500 pieces of weather equipment composed of automated weather stations, automated rain gauges and combination of AWS-ARG’s along the 18 major river basins in the country that will be finished at the end of July 2013 but how come rescue operations in Cagayan and Isabela were delayed and people of the local community spend their nights at their roofs because of the 15 feet flood. Thursday night when flood became severe and some were asking and shouting for help. Friday morning when Philippine Coast Guard started their rescue operations but some lives were already taken. If our Government is really prepared as well as LGU’s why did this happen again. It seems like Yolanda and Ondoy came back. From what we have experienced, we should be prepared by now or at least prevent this form coming.
According to the official gazette of the government it has likewise crafted the Master Plan for Flood Management in Metro Manila and Surrounding Areas, which will provide a long-term flood management strategy to be implemented up to 2035, covering not only Metro Manila but also the surrounding provinces (i.e., Rizal, Laguna, and parts of Bulacan). Recognizing the urgent need to ease flooding in these areas, the government has approved an initial P5-billion funding for high-impact. flood control projects, which will provide immediate effects within 15 to 18 months of their implementation. These projects are now in various stages of implementation. These projects are now in various stages of implementation http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/06/19/dpwh-report-flood-management-master-plan-for-metro-manila-and-surrounding-areas/
In addition to the high-impact flood control projects, the Department of Public Works and Highways is implementing 416 projects worth P6.2 billion in Metro Manila, involving the improvement of drainage, esteros, waterways, riverways, and others (e.g., construction of pumping stations) to improve their carrying capacity. The government has likewise allocated funding to the Metro Manila Development Authority to rehabilitate and upgrade 12 priority pumping stations, which will benefit a total of 804,662 people or roughly 161,000 families living in 361 barangays in three cities.
From what we’ve experienced lately and with all of these implementations and responses to reduce or prevent such big calamities, can we really say that we are prepared to face natural calamities? Is this really our fault?
Simmering and Swooping
The Concept of Simmering and Swooping in Creative Writing
Writer’s creativity sometimes were blocked and ideas are not coming. Wall between writer and words becomes higher and thicker. This crisis experienced by writers is called the “writer’s block”. That is why some authors as well as writers think that they need time to let their ideas simmer before proceeding into writing. This concept is likely to help a writer organize his/her ideas before having a writing session.
The concept of “simmering” in writing means that creativity needs time in order for the ideas to come up and blend together. Writing stories that persuades, inform and comforts the readers are similar to cooking. Time is needed as the ingredients were put and blended together. Time to walk away from the computer and keyboard or paper and pen and letting the information simmer together while doing chores like folding the laundry or pulling out grasses in the garden. This somehow helps the writer to come up with unusual spin of information. Every oven cooks a little differently just as every writer functions a little differently as well (Rhodes, 2015). When writing or revising it’s like a well, you’re being drained, you’re out of words. Writers often need a break, a time in between drafts (Meyer, 2014).
Swooping on the other hand, involves work habit unlike simmering which takes the writer away from his/her work (O’Connor, 2001). Having a writing habit will teach the writer that writer’s block is just a figment of one’s imagination. In writing, a writer should have a devoted practice and should build habits that will make him/her a better writer. Having a comfortable table and chair as well as having privacy is more important than having a beautiful view. Keep materials close at hand and taping favorite quotes that will serve as motivation will do before proceeding with writing. When writing, it’s not about sitting with your keyboard or with pen and paper. It can be creating a list of bullet points. Being physically active is also helpful, move around frequently or set an alarm or timer reminding yourself to get up from the table. Moving around can produce fresh ideas.
Allowing the concept of simmering and swooping will help a writer get through with a writer’s block.
The Friendship I Want to Last
Have you ever asked yourself “why do I always end up losing a friend?”
Have you ever tried explaining yourself just to keep that friendship?
If yes, why? Why do we need to ask and do all of these even though we can’t do anything to fix the broken friendship? Is it because we are afraid that can’t find any other friend? Well in fact we don’t need one.
Where can we find a friend that will understand us and will let us know our mistakes as well as flaws instead of telling it to other people.
Do we really need to find them?
Asking why I ended up with a broken friendship that I want to last, things that I’ve shared with my friend seems to not matter to her at all.
How to have a friendship that never fades?
You should have trust, loyalty and love
Trust because, a friend is someone we can lean on, someone we tell our stories, someone who will listen even though it’s about one’s foolishness, someone we can rely on when we feel the world turned us down.
Loyalty. We share our secrets. hatred, our love stories to a friend hoping to keep it to the both of us. A friend whom we talk once. A friend with a busy schedule but is willing to listen when we need an ear to listen.
Love. Friendship should have love. Love that we know that can last for a long time.
This year, it seems like I ended a friendship that I wish to last. However, I don’t have any regrets cutting ties with that friend because I know we are not taking the same path. We have different perspective in life and that we’re not match for each other, we are not meant to be friends anyway.
It took me a long way to accept the fact that it’s over, fighting and hoping it will be fixed. Knowing that it’s just a misunderstanding but I’ve learned enough my lesson. We don’t need a person who will drag us down we need someone who will lift us whenever we are feeling down.
Friendship lasts forever if we know how to protect it.
The Friendship I Want to Last
Have you ever asked yourself “why do I always end up losing a friend?”
Have you ever tried explaining yourself just to keep that friendship?
If yes, why? Why do we need to ask and do all of these even though we can’t do anything to fix the broken friendship? Is it because we are afraid that can’t find any other friend? Well in fact we don’t need one.
Where can we find a friend that will understand us and will let us know our mistakes as well as flaws instead of telling it to other people.
Do we really need to find them?
Asking why I ended up with a broken friendship that I want to last, things that I’ve shared with my friend seems to not matter to her at all.
How to have a friendship that never fades?
You should have trust, loyalty and love
Trust because, a friend is someone we can lean on, someone we tell our stories, someone who will listen even though it’s about one’s foolishness, someone we can rely on when we feel the world turned us down.
Loyalty. We share our secrets. hatred, our love stories to a friend hoping to keep it to the both of us. A friend whom we talk once. A friend with a busy schedule but is willing to listen when we need an ear to listen.
Love. Friendship should have love. Love that we know that can last for a long time.
This year, it seems like I ended a friendship that I wish to last. However, I don’t have any regrets cutting ties with that friend because I know we are not taking the same path. We have different perspective in life and that we’re not match for each other, we are not meant to be friends anyway.
It took me a long way to accept the fact that it’s over, fighting and hoping it will be fixed. Knowing that it’s just a misunderstanding but I’ve learned enough my lesson. We don’t need a person who will drag us down we need someone who will lift us whenever we are feeling down.
Friendship lasts forever if we know how to protect it.
Choosing Happiness
They say happiness is when your life fulfills your needs. It is when you only see the positive side of life and neglect the negative one. It is when you let go of things that keep you in the prison of yesterday. The fruit of acceptance is happiness and it is a choice whether you will stress out yourself sticking to that negative vibes or choose to be happy. The main question will be, how will you let the happiness help you to stop sadness from drowning you?
We are living in a world where people do whatever it takes just to make themselves happy. We all have different versions of happiness. One may say that happiness is having all the wealth and power. Others will say it’s having someone you love beside you but mostly would say that it is achieving your dreams with courage and hard work and watching yourself slowly getting the success you are dreaming of. With all the different definition of happiness that we know, at the end of the day one may realize that happiness is our choice. Not our friends’, family’s nor anyone else but it is our choice. We will never be contented in life because as we fulfill those holes in our whole being there will be another hole. It’s continuous. It’s like running to a never-ending race or solving problems without a formula. It’s a mystery needed to be solve. You are happy now, the other day not because at the first place it’s our choice if we will take and absorb those negative vibes to drown us to a deep sadness or make them as our motivation to go through and find our path. Just like what Buddha said, “There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.” If we are happy, we will make the right decision which is the main ingredient in finding the right path we all looking for.
There are so many things to be happy about and it depends on ourselves. Eating may be my happiness but for others who are conscious about their body of course it’s not. Putting ourselves in another’s shoe, we will understand and realize that happiness surely depends on our choice. Just for an instance, looking at the homeless children in the street, we will surely think that they are sad but are we really sure? Happiness is not just about smiling and frowning. Yes, we can show the world our sweetest smile and saddest frown, but does it mean that we are happy or sad? There are a lot of people who feels happy even for just petty things. There are many things street children lack off, home, family who will take care of them, food and clothes but give them a mere biscuit and you will see those sparks in their eyes and that’s because happiness for them is enjoying the little things in life. It’s an indication that we can be happy without any luxurious things and power in life. If we will be grateful for what we have despite of everything surely, we will be happy.
Happiness is something hiding in ourselves that we need to find to let it come out. It’s not something that will come to us, but it is something that comes from us. It is within us. Nothing will make us happy unless we decide to be positive and choose to be happy. All of us have the control to our own happiness so if I were you, always choose to be happy.
can we still live without social media or technology?
My Blog, My Entry, My Mind
September 13, I posted my very first entry on my blog. Feeling unusual thinking how to make it perfect and how it can’t contain erroneous grammar for I am an English Major. Thoughts coming to my mind as I’ve decided to compose it. The reason why I named my blog “Cryptic Thoughts”. Thoughts that comes to my mind that seems very peculiar and gives me goosebumps.
"Overthinking is okay not until you force yourself to commit what you think. Life is full of surprises; failure does not mean you're a failure. Curse and cry all you want but do not beat yourself up". These words are my comfort words whenever I am having cryptic thoughts.
Writing is my thing. I write what I feel, I write what comes to my mind but writing for the blog is a different story. I got writers block. I don’t know where and when to start. I write to keep it for myself, but it changed as I started stroking my pen and write knowing that I’m writing to make it see by my readers.
Every time I needed to compose my entry it feels like I was forced. I am not confident that what I am writing is correct and that I’m afraid to receive criticisms whenever I commit mistakes. Pretending to love what I am doing in every post that I made when deep inside I really don’t.
**Travelogue**
Monasterio De Tarlac with its trademark 30-foot statue of The Risen Christ is a popular tourist destination located at the summit of Mt. Resurrection Brgy. Lubigan, San Jose Tarlac.
Our journey begins as we start to climb the narrow road together with the trees dancing as the wind blows. The view of the spread-out rice fields of Tarlac becomes the apple of our eye as we go through. Upon reaching the entrance of the Monastery, religious chants repeated throughout the silent kingdom of peace welcome us. The view from above shows us the relaxing scenery of the hills shining behind the illuminated sky, birds flying that creates a feeling of being contented as if you’ve already seen the best view of the world. The whole place was covered with flowers giving every tourist a peace of mind. The deafening silence in the place as you roam around rejuvenates a weary soul. Monasterio De Tarlac weaves an indescribable feeling of closeness with the nature as well as with our Creator.
This travelogue is one of my favorite entry on my blog because this journey did not just calm my mind but also my spiritual self.
Now, I am composing my last entry for this blog. Though I didn’t want writing for this blog part of me is sad as I close this journey. Closing a wonderful journey that I didn’t appreciate for I am afraid to express everything to everyone. Going through this journey is like sailing without a map and just following where this journey will lead me hoping that at the end, I’ll appreciate everything I did in this journey.
Every journey is not the typical journey we wanted to experience but learn to be thankful that you were experiencing a spectacular journey in your life. A lesson that I really learned as time passed and as I continue going with this direction. Your peculiar author of this blog is now signing off, thanking all the people who joined me with this breath-taking journey in campus journalism.
@jennfabb