Editorial

Response to storms

Our country’s disaster preparedness and response program has again been put into action and test when super typhoon “Ompong” (International code name “Mankhut”) struck many provinces in Northern Luzon last week. It’s strong wind and rain also affected several areas in Central Luzon and parts of the Visayas. Mindanao was not spared by the effects of Habagat spawned by the super typhoon. Similarly, monster typhoon Hurricane Florence also battered North and South Carolina in the U.S. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.....

        Some 5 million population have been affected by the storm and thousands have been evacuated to safer grounds --- schools and gymnasiums. Damage to agriculture and infrastructures are always expected in the aftermath but our prayer is to have zero casualties, but this depends on the receptivity of the population exposed to risks.

        Before the onslaught of the super typhoon, disaster preparedness was at its heels in the affected areas with communication system in full gusto in response to emergency calls. The response system has to be well coordinated under emergency situation until the strong winds and torrents come to appease. As of late Saturday and early Sunday, severe weather condition was expected to be tempered after ‘Ompong” exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility. And then comes damage assessment and costly rehabilitation… time to pick up the pieces when the sky clears.

        People have responded to warning signals and call for pre-emptive evacuation. This shows the receptivity of a population to disaster preparedness and response as we want to be safe under such circumstances. We cannot control the wrath of nature but only to be prepared on any eventuality and be responsive to disaster preparedness which have been put into drill for its effectivity, including earthquake incidence.

        So far, our region is still spared from monster storms but this should not be an excuse for lack of preparedness because when it comes, it will batter us. While people in prone-areas are used to be swept by super or monster typhoons, they are no longer complacent on the hazards of disasters… they move when it is time to act for dear lives. While in many instances we only suffer floodings, especially in lowland areas, we have to be always alert and respond to the government’s warning system.

        Just this recent, the two bombings in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat gave us a scenario on how vital is vigilance against terrorism, which is a man-made calamity. Bombings continue to be a threat in our region and vigilance is the call for our security. We are the force multipliers in the security system… vigilance is our weapon to suppress terrorism or lawlessness as this is also a form of a storm or disaster.

        How quick are we to respond to disaster situation? Typhoons or bombings, these spell danger.