Be prepared

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The deluge that happened in many parts of the National Capital Region as well as in Luzon and the Visayas this week has left people with a sense of shock and disbelief. The fact that the heavy rains and extensive flooding happened at a time when there was no typhoon, only a southwest monsoon, made officials of PAGASA answerable to President Aquino and to the nation in general.

Immediately after typhoon Gener that wreaked havoc on some parts of Negros Island, the country is again focused on the catastrophic situation Luzon is in. This has given rise to a diversity of reactions from people, as to why it has happened. Some of these ranged from the fatalistic to the absurd. While some people say it is God’s wrath manifesting itself because of the possible passage of the RH Bill, there are those who say the end of the world is near. Twitter, in fact, was trending on the exact date of the heavy downpour, August 7, 2012 which is also the exact passage referring to flooding in Genesis - 8: 7-12.

Whatever the reasons are – and whether these are predictions or based on something factual – many things have not changed in the Filipino psyche. Whether people fought for their lives or tried in vain to salvage their properties, all these were still done with a smile, or with expressions of hope in their eyes. The bayanihan spirit was also evident everywhere, with looters jokingly asked to stay away and “be on leave”, by virtue of the disaster. Perhaps, even the looters themselves were victimized by nature’s wrath.

What happened will surely happen again, sooner or later. No one can stop destruction or calamities. No one can say we will not be hit by typhoons again. No one can make the heavy rains, massive flooding, and other impending calamities stop. But, one thing we can do is to be ready and be prepared for anything that could be threats to both lives and properties.

We are not asking only government to do this. We are not begging concerned agencies and even our officials to take the lead. What we must do is to start with ourselves, and take it from there.*