...no preparation made by man could prepare the country for the wrath of a woman (named Yolanda) -- JM Please read , like and share this enlightening article written by a very good friend of mine. WHEN ONES BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH By Jojo Mejia Make no mistake about it. The Philippines prepared for the worst before Yolanda (Haiyan) roared past our islands. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Atmospheric Services Administration went on air even before Haiyan entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and became Yolanda. The Filipino weathermen were on all TV and radio stations, warning, encouraging, even cajoling their kababayan to prepare as best as they can for the coming super typhoon. If one were to review some of the reports made by international correspondents, it would appear that we just shrugged our shoulders and did nothing. This is bullshit. The National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council has been very successful in reducing the number of casualties for the past two decades. The words forced evacuation became popular during the time of Chairman Gilbert Teodoro (NDRRMC was then known by a shorter acronym NDRMC -National Disaster, Risk Management Council), and was further refined by President Noynoy Aquinos appointee, former General Benito Ramos. I remember tuning in to the daily, then 2x a day, then hourly updates of Gen. Ramos. I find comfort in hearing his thickly accented words (he is from Isabela and his Ilocano accent is very prominent when he speaks English or Filipino). There was one press briefing when his data was challenged. How could he know what was happening in a far-flung province when all cellphone lines were down, asked one journalist. In his usual manner, the NDRRMC Chairman answered di-di-di--dah-dah-dah--di-di-di, pero masyado kang bata para maalala mo yun... and went on to explain that the military still uses radio-telegraphy, which is not dependent on power lines and cell sites. The general was relying on Morse Code to see the situation. PNoys appointee sharpened the skills of the men under his new command in the NDRRMC, and went on to encourage LGUs to do the same. Now, many barangays even have their own rubber boats, weatrherproof flashlights, high-tech ropes and other rescue equipment. But no preparation made by man could prepare the country for the wrath of a woman. In an earlier post, I mentioned that many of the first responders in the towns and provinces in the Visayas were among the victims --either as casualty or as wounded-- of Yolandas fury. The expected back-up could not be relied on either as the other provinces were as devastated as the one expecting help. The barangay DRRMCs could not be helped by their respective town or Municipal DRRMC, and the town DRRM Councils could not be helped by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council, especially if the Municipal & Provincial Councils are quartered in the same devastated town or city which also happens to be the provincial capital. Help must come from a long way off. The target areas are islands, and the fastest way to get to an island is by plane. But what if the airport has been destroyed? One foreign rescuer pointed out to the BBC how hard it is to get things moving. Their plane could not land in Tacloban, so they landed in Cebu, and had to transfer everything to a ship, adding three days or more to the already tight schedule. Mobility was the fly in the ointment. There was food and other needs a-plenty in other places , but no sure way to give them to those in need. One rescuer when interviewed in another channel made known his wish for the seaplanes of old... planes that could land on the water anywhere and not look for a concrete landing field. Sadly, very few of those still exist, and no seaplane is as big as the militarys C-130. Another rescue teams leader bewailed the lack of heavy equipment to clear the roads, made impassable by fallen posts and trees. Again, many of those in the local councils whose job it was to operate these machines were among the victims. Many veteran rescue volunteers were among those who got caught in the storm surge that flooded Tacloban. They died with their boots on, and lest they be forgotten, I salute them for their heroism. The disaster management councils where they belong will surely miss their unselfishness and dedication. The different councils --barangay up to the national council-- have seen their hard work bear fruit in the past. The Philippines is visited by at least 20 typhoons each year, and before Yolanda came along, we have seen the number of casualties reduced greatly compared to how things were in the 80s. The positive changes made by the Aquino administration in PAGASA could not be denied. We now have rainfall forecast, gale warnings, thunderstorm advisories, even tidal warnings, aside from the usual storm warnings which are solely based on the strength of the accompanying wind. To say then, that we did not prepare is a falsehood. We did. Maybe not adequately in some aspects, but we did hunker down as best as we could. But then again, even the best laid plan would have been swept aside by the strongest, biggest typhoon yet to make landfall. I am not a big fan of the present set of national leaders, but they are doing their darnest best during a difficult time that would test to the limit any man --local or foreign. No leader anywhere in the world has had the chance to contend with the aftermath of a typhoon as big as Yolanda as the one our President and the other leaders are faced with. Some of their decisions may be questionable to those who are safe in their homes, but it is different when one is in the battle front. Sure, we all stumbled in the dark during the first few days, but who wouldnt? Hurricane Katrina and Perfect Storm Sandy taught the US that even she is not perfect. Japan is still reeling from the double whammy of a big quake and the ensuing tsunami. And the revelation by a top UN official that it took almost three weeks before a semblance of order was established when Haiti was devastated is an icing on the cake. There will be a lot of time to assess and criticize their actions or inaction later. In the meantime, let them prove their worth not only to their countrymen but to the international community as well. We are not a country of idiots, although there are those who would portray us as such. We know that the Philippines lies smack in the typhoon belt and in the Pacific Ring of Fire or volcano/earthquake belt. This has made my countrymen as flexible as the bamboo we so admire. Some of our leaders are better off planting kamote in the bondocks, it is true, but these kamotes were elected by us, ulalo, uod and all. Some of them sweet-talked us in the recent elections, but they can not fool us forever, even with their names emblazoned in packs of relief goods and flip-flops. Matagal matuto, pero natutoto rin naman ang Pinoy. Kahit mga kuripot ay alam din namang dapat itapon ang mga kamoteng me ulalo. For now, let us pitch in to heal the nation as one, as we have done countless times in the past. The help extended by several countries will definitely help us heal faster... ...as we prepare --as best as we can-- for the next typhoon or any natural calamity sure to come our way. And should our best not be good enough, we will find a way to survive. Even with minimal rescue equipment, bad location in the planet, bad politics and even worse politicos.
Posted on: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 20:27:08 +0000
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