Let me continue with my reflection on the lessons that Typhoon Ondoy taught me. What were the causes for such an abnormally heavy rainfall brought by the typhoon? Strangely, unlike typhoon Melenyo (September 2007) which was packing strong winds causing death to many as it toppled man-made giant advertisement billboards but with less rainfall, typhoon Ondoy was not coupled with strong winds, purely rainfall.

6. Global warming must be addressed now. The abnormally heavy rainfall can be explained with the global warming phenomenon. Because of indiscriminate burning and smoke belching the portion of the atmosphere called the ozone is now heavy with pollutants. Because of this “greenhouse effect”, normal evapo-transpiration has been greatly affected. Either abnormally large or extremely small volume of water is being formed into clouds that would accompany the typhoon as rains. We should now act to save our planet from the dangers caused by global warming. The most practical way is to follow the provisions of the Clean Air Act notably the anti- smoke belching by cars, factories and even the backyard burning of garbage. Smoke contains destructive chemicals like carbon monoxide destroying the ozone layer leading to global warming. Another serious task that must be immediately done is to undertake massive tree planting activity in all denuded watershed areas specifically the Montalban-Antipolo and the entire Sierra Madre mountain range. We should take hints from Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn on how to mount community tree-planting.

7. Skills in rescue and disaster preparedness should be taught to everybody. When I got the text message from my office mate asking for assistance as they evacuated to second floor of their house when the flood waters rose quickly flooding the ground floor. The flood was accompanied with strong current bringing all sorts of debris mainly garbage into their house. I felt so helpless as I do not have the slightest idea on how to undertake a rescue effort. At the height of rampaging floods in Provident Village in Marikina City, people went up to seek refuge to the rooftops of their houses and stayed there for 48 hours before they were rescued. It is also worth to note that there was no early warning system to inform the people at the barangay level that their place is about to be flooded. Because the area and number of people affected by the flooding was enormous, the government was grossly overwhelmed that it could not effectively response to calls for assistance. It was then uncovered that the combined government agencies tasked to respond to calamities like the Military and Police in the entire Metro Manila was totally unprepared. Imagine, the government agencies have only nine rubber boats available to rescue the affected people at the height of the floods brought by Ondoy! Poor Gibo Teodoro could not take advantage of the situation in the same manner that Sec. Duque of DOH capitalized the Swine Flu thing. Gibo as the National Coordinator of the National Disaster Coordinating Council was the biggest disaster himself. People had totally lost trust in this present regime of GMA. Walang Selbe. Imagine, it took private citizens like actor Richard Gutierrez to rescue fellow actress Cristine Reyes who stayed at the rooftop of their house in Provident Village for 48 hours! And stories about how private people desperate to rescue lives had to buy their own boats to lead in the rescue operation! People had to put into their own hands the rescue work as presence of government manning the rescue at the early hours was never felt.

8. Relief operation is better done by ABS-CBN and GMA network. As both giant networks mounted their fund raising for donation to their relief operation for the affected citizens, the relief operation of the government suffered a great blow due to lack of funds! The people have completely lost trust to this lousy government that they would rather serve as volunteers to the two giant stations relief efforts. Even foreign donors prefer to give donations of canned goods, used clothing, mineral water to ABS-CBN and GMA networks than to the DSWD. However, as of this writing, reports of the damage brought about by typhoon Pepeng in the north would require continuous flow of donations to undertake non-stop relief effort. Do your share. Send in your donations. The evacuation centers in Pasig and Marikina need large volume of food and other relief items.

9. Reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts need funding of course. Experts estimate that it would take another 3 to 5 months for the flood water in Pasig and in towns around the shoreline of Laguna de Bay to finally subside to the pre-Ondoy level. Rehabilitation works in these hard hit areas could not start until the floods subside. Millions of pesos would be required to repair houses, buy new household appliances for the people to be able to live normal lives again. Think of the people who lead a life of “isang kahig-isang tuka”. How can they have normal lives again when up to now their houses are still under water? How can they start reconstruction when they do not have a single centavo since they could not go to work and earn a living? Hayyy buhay! A long term solution for the flooded areas around the shoreline is to construct a new outlet to Manila Bay by cutting a drainage canal passing through the Paranaque area. But, it would need billions of pesos! This financially-drained government do not have the money. Massive relocation of the houses built in the shoreline which on the first place should have not been inhabited should now be a serious concern for the Laguna Lake Development Authority, the Local Government Units and the bankrupt national government. Or better yet, let us pin our hope to the next President to handle this problem. The best question that we could ask our batch of President wannabes is how they intend to solve all the problems left by typhoon Ondoy and most recently typhoon Pepeng. flooding of North Fairview SSS Housing