The Philippines was a disaster-prone country in the world and we all knew it. In 2019, it ranked 5th in the most affected countries in long-term climate risk index published by Germanwatch. The ranking was based on the impacts of weather-related loss events from 1998 until 2017. 

Since the country was at the typhoon belt, over 20 typhoons were estimated to pass the country yearly. Damages brought by these typhoons to life and property were enormous as always. Just last Christmas, about 11.19 billion worth of properties were lost to Typhoon Ursula according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. 

The aftermath of every typhoon brought us damning and painful scenes that crying over it was pointless. Your house was a wreck. Debris was everywhere. Your belongings were nowhere to find. Your livestock was dead meat. Everything you own was either partly or entirely lost and most importantly, you’d hope that none of your family or relatives was dead. 

Frankly, there was nothing to be happy about it. While others were feasting during Christmas, you were there the next morning picking what was left after the typhoon. Yet, we were told to remain hopeful and that “the best is yet to come” this New Year. But clichés won’t solve this perennial problem. 

Typhoons were already part of our daily lives whether we liked it or not. This “new normal” was the very reason why we should act fast in implementing the reforms inspired by existing policies in disaster risk management. The Commission on Audit has released an assessment report of the disaster management practices in the Philippines right after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. 

Among the findings revealed that “despite solid and functioning disaster risk reduction and management structure, the government’s response still came across as reactive and not proactive, insufficient, inefficient and for most part, slow.” 

Six years have passed since Yolanda and it seemed that we were experiencing the same pitfalls all over again. Of course, the government has a plan –the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan – to strengthen the capacity and capability of the national and local government units and partner stakeholders in building disaster-resilient communities. 

But, again, how fast can we implement it? It will take a lot of resilience and a very positive outlook in life to be able to survive the horrors of every storm. And it will take, not one or two, but for all to be active in mitigating the effects of climate change. Those typhoons will be stronger each year and there is no stopping to it. We better prepare our homes, our infrastructure, and our entire communities for the worst.