Heavy rains, floods again remind gov't to do better

Paraphrasing the famous line addressed to his martyred father 29 years ago, President Aquino last Wednesday assured flood victims in evacuation centers in Metro Manila: “You won’t be left alone to fend for yourselves.” 

The government, he said, was taking care of the evacuees’ needs. Then he told the journalists huddled around him, “You’ve tested this administration, and we performed.” P-Noy had a bit of ground to brag. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the lead government agency for disasters established under a law passed in 2010 (I was a co-author), appears to have done better than the National Disaster Coordinating Council that it replaced. (The NDCC was excoriated for repeatedly failing on its job, having been reactive rather than proactive vis-à-vis natural disasters.)

Project Noah, launched last July 6 and aimed at providing the public via the Internet real-time information on the weather, water levels, and floods, has yet to play a major role. However, this project is welcomed as the government’s positive response to the devastations of Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities in December 2011. Organized by the Department of Science and Technology, which supervises the weather bureau PAGASA, it is manned by UP-Diliman scientists.

In coordination with local governments, the NDRRMC acted relatively on time in warning residents at risk, designating evacuation centers, and urging suspension of classes in schools. Still, after the heavy rains and flooding, some vital contingency measures to reduce dangers and inconveniences among the affected people — such as providing transportation to crowds stranded in streets and work places — were not carried out on time or were inadequate.

Notably, there were relatively less lives lost, per official reports, than in previous disasters. But the reduction in deaths due to the floods should not be credited to the government alone. Much is owed to resident volunteers in the communities who issued early warnings to residents, then risked their lives to save people from being swept away and drowned. (My main input in the crafting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 was to emphasize the organizing and training of the people at the barangay level upwards to prepare themselves for and appropriately cope with disasters. I don’t know yet to what extent this has been done.)

Also to be credited are the dedicated volunteers of the Philippine National Red Cross and of the various civic organizations who plunged into rescue operations in critical areas, braving hazards like live electric wires in the water and other physical dangers. 

Rescue teams from the Bicol region, a perennial disaster area, also pitched in. Appropriate acknowledgment must also be made of the beneficent responses to aid those gravely affected by the flooding. These responses have come from various organizations, groups, and individuals — including the progressive organizations that have been sharply criticizing and opposing (in turn they’re rapped by P-Noy’s supporters) the government’s policies and programs they deemed as anti-people or anti-poor. 

They have organized relief operations of various scopes in flood-affected areas in Metro Manila and in Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions. They all call on the public to help by contributing food, clothing, blankets, medicines, bottled water, water containers, and other personal and family needs.

The progressive people’s organizations, led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, and the party-list organizations belonging to the Makabayan Coalition have utilized the Internet to post their appeals for donations and to mobilize volunteers.

Using varied campaign names, the postings specify the addresses of dropping centers for relief goods, the bank accounts for placing cash donations, and the names and contact numbers of persons in charge of coordination. They call on volunteers to help carry out the relief-distribution missions, including “pa-lugaw” (gruel) treats and soup kitchens, on certain dates at specific places.

Bayan called on the government to order the freezing of the recently-announced price increases for petroleum products and electricity rates, while KMP-Anakpawis urged the NFA to distribute among the flood victims the smuggled rice confiscated at customs.

A number of oil companies, including Petron and Pilipinas Shell, have responded by saying they would retain prices at current levels next week, but only in selected flood-affected areas. NFA has not been heard from.

These heartening responses indicate a heightened civic consciousness all around, including Filipinos living abroad. 

But if the lessons from the worst floods in Metro Manila in 40 years, induced by Tropical Storm Ondoy in September 2009, were to be reckoned with, the Aquino government has many bigger jobs to do. And it must accomplish these tasks as soon as possible — to resolve the flooding problem over the long term.

These tasks involve, among others, restoring and declogging the esteros in Metro Manila which have mostly been covered over by building developers; the proper segregation and disposal of garbage; the replanting of trees in denuded watersheds; the construction of rainwater catchment basins; and the relocation of urban settlers from vulnerable areas to sites that provide for all their basic needs, including livelihood or jobs.

A tall order indeed, requiring political will. Will P-Noy take it on?

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