Urging Organized Calamity Response

Friday, 27 May 2011 04:08

Written by Aaron Benedict De Leon

June is forthcoming again, a time where students, teachers and all education stakeholders are busy preparing for the resumption of classes by June 6. June is also a perfect month for couples to get married, so we expect a projected rise in population again once they hit the honeymoon suites. And June also marks the beginning of the rainy season, and it is projected by PAG-ASA, that for the coming year, there will be 13 more typhoons paying a visit to our country, besides Typhoon Chedeng.

The DepEd’s “Oplan Balik Eskwela” program has been very visible on Nationwide television, in reference to TV5 and ABS-CBN’s simultaneous coverage of Oplan Balik Eskwela operations last Monday, during their morning public service programs. Yet, we have yet to see any visible effort on the part of the DPWH and MMDA to solve the unending problem of flooding in Metro Manila.

First and foremost, nobody’s expecting PAG-ASA to be accurate in terms of weather forecasting, because they’ve always been caught flat footed. I’m not blaming the people in PAG-ASA, because given the improvements in their system; the agency still receives minimal appropriation. And nobody is also expecting the government to fully implement, to the merit, the newly enacted Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. While the intent of the law maybe there to really mitigate the damages that a calamity could bring, the information drive again towards making people aware of the new setup seems to be lacking again, clearly showing that the law was passed for mere compliance and lip service to the citizens.

At this particular time, where changes seem to overwhelm not only our national government, but governments throughout the world, citizen vigilance in terms of climate change and calamity response is necessary, and not just highly encouraged. It is imperative that households and individuals prepare themselves adequately, through proper mitigation discipline and preventive mechanisms. However, this is still not enough and more is required of us.

As a youth leader, I urge our communities to organize calamity response teams, within their own Barangay, and hold community dialogues with their local leaders, towards creating a disaster response manual which would guide households and barangay leaders alike when it comes to concrete steps which should be taken in case different circumstances arise. The smallest unit of government, the barangay, should take the lead in initiating action when it comes to preparation and mitigation, given their topographical, geographical and behavioral knowledge in their respective communities.

The approach towards disaster preparation and mitigation should always be down-up, and not the other way around.

I also urge various NGO’s and youth organizations that instead of blabber mouthing the government for its deficiencies and weaknesses, to help and really pour in the effort in terms of conducting massive information drives and disaster response seminars to help prepare communities for various situations. This initiative should be regardless of political inclination, and should not be used as a vehicle to push for a specific individual or group.

Community and Civil Society Organization becomes the most crucial part of any disaster preparation and mitigation effort, and the government must admit its structural deficits, and encourage private sector participation in filling up the financial and technological gaps it is riddled with.

Schools should also be involved in terms of not only educating, but also driving students to volunteer and practice what is being taught within the confines of the classroom.

High School institutions should massively promote the involvement of their students in clubs/organizations that specifically address concerns on the environment and climate change. This initiative should involve providing incentives for volunteerism and community participation.

Collegiate institutions should partner with external environmental NGO’s and other organizations, when it comes to disaster efforts. It will take a collaborative effort through partnership to solve escalating situations, and isolated efforts, though sometimes can be effective, does not comprehensively and effectively address disaster challenges.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, our strategies in attacking the challenges of Climate Change should be dynamic, swift and cooperative. We cannot rely on governments to capture all the solutions for us, especially that they are handicapped with so many constraints and problems.

We must always be on top of the situation, and not be caught flat footed, or else, we’re all gonna suffer, and worse, our death will be another painful lesson for the next generation.

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