Disaster management priority

Suddenly, the unexpected wind and rain came last Tuesday afternoon. Against the very powerful wind and with the strong rainfall that followed, we thought it was just a matter of minutes before our proud, tall avocado tree would fall.

But gratefully, the winds and the heavy rains did not last long. If Cebu were experiencing only the quick passing through of Typhoon Helen expected to hit Northern Luzon, then our kababayans in Luzon may have to prepare once more for another repeat of Ondoy and last week’s heavy downpour and winds, and the floods and all the challenges posed by yet again, another disaster challenging our people and our country.

Even before the entry of this latest typhoon, news coverage show so much damage, so much pain and hardship that people in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon continue to experience until now. The formerly homeless are now homeless anew, with their meager possessions all swept away by the raging waters and ceaseless rains.

“Wala pong natira sa amin…”, “Itong damit na lang po ang kaisa-isang damit ko,” and more cries of loss and resignation continue to be heard. The louder cries for help and support from government, from the kind-hearted, continue as well.

The death toll from last week’s disaster is still increasing each day. With Typhoon Helen, the number may escalate even more. The damage to people and communities is not only physical – how long can disaster victims hold on or can they ever recover from the trauma of continuing disasters?

The damage to infrastructure, the favorite projects of pork-barrel loving politicians, has been massive. Should not the Filipino people now demand for a stop to useless, non-priority infrastructure projects? From now on, should not all public funds be concentrated on being utilized only for projects that will truly be useful, strong, and durable to protect the Filipinos all throughout this country?

Should we not all clamor to have a temporary ban NOW until next year for projects that are not flood or drainage related or for those projects that are not directly of service to our people (like irrigation, food production, home construction, employment generation, education, health and welfare-related).

Let all pork barrel from now till next year be used to serve the people directly, finally! Also, it is time our people DEMAND for the 5 percent allocation for disaster management to be used NOW, to alleviate the present trials facing our people in MM and Luzon and most especially, to prepare adequately, effectively for more disasters that we hope will not harm our people and our land again but which we know (because of climate change and of human abuse of nature and public funds) will most likely hit in the form of fires, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunami and more.

The disaster management fund/dividend can go a long way to preserve and protect life and property. If utilized effectively and responsibly, people can restore to themselves their sincere stewardship of our people and our earth entrusted by God to all.

The disaster management funds can be used to prepare emergency as well as long-term rescue supplies and services. These can take the form of ambulances, amphibian trucks, rafts and other emergency rescue supply facilities. Adequate training of rescue personnel for specific tasks has to be done quickly now throughout all barangays. Systems of effective coordination will have to be quickly set up, together with definite staff with clear designations and responsibilities.

Communication and transportation systems will have to be clearly laid out, too, with community residents properly educated and trained for emergency exit and evacuation. Specific evacuation areas with adequate water supply (for drinking and other emergency needs), clean, sanitary toilets, space for families, services for various types of relocatees (sensitive to gender, age, disabilities) AND effective crowd management should be set-up immediately, ASAP (as soon as possible) in all sitios and barangays all throughout our country.

Shall we all meet together SOONEST to map out an effective, short and long-term disaster management plan  and system, per sitio, per barangay, per city, municipality and province?

Meantime, please RESPONSIBLY MANAGE YOUR GARBAGE. That simple personal gesture will go a long way to save lives and property, including your own, now and always.

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Email: [email protected].