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
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?
