Conspiracy of Typhoon and Terrain

“Sa north ang bagyo”. I heard this from a fellow client waiting for our turn on the barber’s chair on the Saturday before the typhoon. I guess the same was the thought of many bicolanos at that time. Yes, it would rain. The rains may be heavy, but this weather would just pass by. We’ll go on with our normal lives, because after all, the north would take the brunt of the typhoon. It would be nothing serious.

Initially, I was upset that even on Sunday evening, the circulating announcement online was a reiteration that there was no suspension of classes although there would be expected heavy rains. Explanation given was consideration on businesses that would presumably gain less when students don’t come to class. I guess these would be public transport and food shops. I guess, their day’s profits come before children’s safety from heavy rains. Then Monday morning came with the compromise of asynchronous classes. That’s better. At least, the kids didn’t have to go out of their homes and soak themselves on rain water.

Then, for around three days, ravaged the rains that did not seem to want to stop.

The typhoon and terrain came together for a conspiracy. Triple of a month’s rain, almost 700 mm poured severely all over towns which are actually lying low on the Bicol river basin. These two elements connived with each other. What do we get? A definite disaster.

They say, we were caught unprepared, that maybe we could have done something to prevent this or at least, decrease its negative effects. But, I don’t think we could have done anything. Nature will always be ahead of man. We may shield on the right and it would hit on the left. We may shield above and it would hit below. Nature will always find a way, and would never run of ways to surprise us. That’s just how nature goes.

As a kid in the late 80s and through the 90s, I had often heard of the Bicol River Basin Development Project, although my then juvenile mind did not understand it. The President insinuates that the Cory administration abandoned the project. But, I think there were talks of it even after his father was ousted from power. Now, they’re planning to revisit it, which is a commendable objective. Call me a cynic, but with the way government has gone for decades now, a project like that has the potential to be riddled with pepper dashes of some corruption, inefficiency and slow progress. But, I earnestly hope this plan works. It’s a scientific long-term solution.

The people who would be executing this plan and other solutions would be the officials that we will elect come elections next year. Remember the officials who proactively, immediately and creatively responded during these trying times. Would you still vote for the mayor who goes dormant or missing in action in the midst of trouble? Free concerts won’t do us any good in calamities. How pragmatic is doling out bills in the middle of already high floodwater when supplies are getting scarce rendering cash to be somewhat difficult to translate to food and water? Some people may enjoy it, but finding fault or smearing doesn’t actually help even in less challenging times. Why do people who have such habits keep on getting elected? We need responsive and responsible leaders who implement long-term solutions.

While waiting for that to happen. Here are some measures that we could do to give future rescuers less of a hard time. Of course, there’s pre-emptive evacuation. If you have so much as a hunch that something bad would be coming, run to the hills for safety. Always store ready-to-eat food and drinking water. There may not be a typhoon coming, but keep some biscuits, crackers or chips and a good amount of potable liquid at home. It would also help if you mix in some paracetamol and some pain killers in the storage box. Fix those second floor windows in such a way that someone from the inside could open them to at least fit one’s body out to presumed safety. Invest on phones with long battery life and far reaching mobile data for calling radio stations to get rescue. (Should you not directly contact the barangay people or the police for that? That would be the same thing that the radio announcer would do. Calling the station just lengthened the process, so, why not call the rescuers themselves?) I believe these measures would be useful in another typhoon, an earthquake, a fire, incidents of violence, a hostage crisis or whatever. On top of it, even before desperate times, pray.

““From six troubles He will deliver you, even in seven evil will not touch you.” Job 5:19