Mankind's Calling

The recent floods in Bangkok, Thailand is a stern reminder that any city in the world is susceptible to natural disasters. Having come from Thailand recently, I saw, with my own two eyes, the inundated Don Muang Domestic Airport, the piles of sandbags lining the streets and the overflowing banks of the Chaophraya River. The experience was certainly heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time, as our hosts, whose homes were hit by the so-called “hundred-year flood” kept a genuine smile on their brave faces. They showed hospitality like only the best hosts could, and yet you could see in their eyes the fear and uncertainty brought about by these trying times. And wherever you go, the story is quite the same: from high-end shops to street hawkers to the duty-free shops – the Thai are a brave people, standing proud amidst their tumultuous problem.

More than anything, my experience in Thailand is an eye-opener for three reasons. First, it shows humankind’s vulnerability to Mother Nature’s destructive force; second, it shows how one country can drastically affect industries worldwide; and lastly, it shows mankind’s strength and resilience to rise up to the challenge.

The first is largely self-explanatory and if there’s any reason to doubt that global warming exists, here’s your proof: record heat waves and early snow fall in the United States as well as heavier than usual flooding in Asia and in some countries in Europe. These are just some recent examples – proof that our world is indeed changing. Without getting into the scientific mumbo-jumbo, these recent events are clear signs that if we’re not prepared for nature’s ever-changing attitude, we might as well lie down and just wait to die.

In the short term, we must all be ready for the worst. Expect more frequent and stronger storms, heavier floods and perhaps, more Ondoys in the future. And though this may sound like a slippery slope, this year alone, Northern Luzon experienced Pedring, and how many times did Marikeños fear an evacuation? The so-called “once in a lifetime experience”, is now an annual occurrence. The unpredictability of nature is a call for our government, especially the DPWH and the MMDA, to think and act fast. They can certainly continue with dredging of canals and erecting garbage traps along streams, but if the root of the problem isn’t solved, these stopgap measures don’t mean a thing. Our roads and flood systems must be adequately prepared to handle continuous rainfall. The Pasig River, Metro Manila’s natural drainage system, must be properly cleared of both trash and people. Our building codes must be tightened and followed to the letter, no exceptions and no bribery, to make sure spillways, water passages and the water tables are all properly cleared to ensure the free flow of flood water.

A more long term solution in taking care of Mother Nature would be to have agencies such as the DOTC and LTO adopt stricter acceptable emission standards. In 1998, we adopted Euro I standards for new vehicles, but since then, everything stalled. While the rest of the world is starting to require cars with Euro IV, V or even VI compliance, we’ve been pretty much stuck with a standard over a decade old. It’s time to phase out the older, dirtier and less efficient cars or perhaps, we should, like in some countries, levy heavier registration fees or penalties. This isn’t anti-poor, this is pro-Earth.

The Thailand floods also showed us that one country can have a drastic effect on the global economy. Dubbed the “Detroit of Southeast Asia”, Thailand is the assembly hub to more than half a dozen car companies and their affiliate suppliers including Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Ford and Chevrolet. And thanks to the effect of globalization, the floods will seriously dent new car sales not just in Thailand but the rest of the world. For example, Honda has announced that it’s cutting its US production by half. In the Philippines, the supply of cars such as the Accord, CR-V and Jazz may just last until end November and the floods may even delay the much-awaited launch of Honda’s all-new Civic. Indeed, as a buyer, this isn’t the best time for buying new cars. However, it is the most opportune time to approach potential investors to transfer their manufacturing hubs to the Philippines.

Though the president’s enthusiasm towards coconut water is good, I think our country should go beyond the usual bananas, dried mangoes and coconut jellies that we’ve been exporting. The Philippines was once the storied builder and assembler of the finest cars including Mercedes-Benz, so why can’t we do that again? Our government officials should stop dreaming of Porsches and concentrate on making the automotive industry globally competitive. The DOTC should improve both our road and communications infrastructure and the Department of Finance should offer tax credits, incentives or anything to make investors consider the Philippines over our ASEAN neighbors. Have the BIR and Bureau of Customs simplify their respective convoluted and confusing guidelines and align our labor codes to be much more globally competitive. If there’s anything the PAL/PALEA row can teach us is that militant labor unions can drastically cut a company’s marketability.

Money and ways to keep it certainly brings out the worst in mankind, but oddly enough, it’s when we lose it all that brings out the best in us. The Thai people’s unity and resilience in face of the floods is a mirror to the Japanese’s quiet resolve in dealing with the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011. People are people because of our innate ability to adopt and change. If there’s anything Ninoy, Cory and People Power taught us, it is this: we have the ability to rise above our differences and unite towards a common goal. It maybe for better (Libya’s fight for freedom) or for worse (the London riots), but whatever the case it maybe, it shows the power bestowed on each and every one of us. Nature may deal us a heavy blow, but after we fall, we can dust ourselves and stand up. While we’re at it, we have to stop the whining, stand proud and stand tall. God gave us the ability to stand on our two feet. And even when we can’t, we can always stretch out our arms. Man is there to help his fellow man. This God-given gift of compassion and unity is something we should use to the fullest.