JUSTICE LEAGUE, eh?

I was at my tipping point of cursing the typhoon “Falcon” but then again I have to snap back to sanity and remember that “my dear Falcon” is just a typhoon.  And I have to remember that my ranting is no match with its heavy rains.  And my words cannot flood the area of Espana.

Why am I saying this?  Because as part of the Crisis Management Office, my dear Falcon gave me a ‘Smokey mountain’ of paper works and lots of task lined-up.  And most importantly, we received a lot of negative feedbacks questioning the job and responsibilities of the BSP-Crisis Management Office.

 

Before going to the feedbacks, let’s go back to that event that triggered these BSPers to complain.  It was in the afternoon of June 23, almost time to scan that fingerprint in our biometrics and go home, when Falcon started releasing its wrath in a form of heavy rains and strong winds.  Almost all employees where stranded and forced to stay in the office but as for me I was eager to go home and rest my aching back in my soft bed since I have to report for work the next day.  I rode the taxi but eventually, with the radio on, the announcer said that Espana is flooded and vehicles aren’t moving.  To add to the problem that the driver is encountering since Taft Ave. is also flooded.  So the driver asked me this ‘thought-provoking’ question, “Madam, hindi ko na po kayo ihahatid sa Quezon City kasi sabi sa balita baha daw po.  Baba na po ba kayo o ihahatid ko po kayo sa pinakamalapit na LRT station?”  Oh my! My very own taste of Disaster Recovery.  So I asked the driver to take me to the National Teachers College (where my significant other works) and I’ll go home with him.  Oh well, as a result we had this “Falcon-venture” where we walked the flooded areas from Quiapo to Welcome Rotonda.  So much for my story, going back, most BSPers were stranded in some areas and some stayed in the office till morning the next day.  And guess what?!

   

 (During our "Falcon-venture" - see?  Filipinos are happy people!)

After several days, negative feedbacks reached our office complaining, “Where were the CMO and its disaster management during last 23 June 2011 when staff were stranded in the BSP premises due to extensive flooding in the areas surrounding BSP?”  There are more ‘below-the-belt’ feedbacks and they are quite confidential so let’s just deal with this one.  Well, this triggered me to do the “fishbone analysis” and figure out WHY WE RECEIVED SUCH FEEDBACKS.

I identified six (6) major factors that contribute to the problem and the reason behind these factors.  

(discussed during our presentation)

So, if Crisis Management Office is the BSP’s Justice League, then I want to be WONDERWOMAN! But then again, we are not and most importantly, I am not Wonderwoman.  

PAGASA’s ABCs

Who would have thought that learning ABC is not as easy as A-P-P-L-E, B-O-Y, C-A-R and so on.  Have you experienced the turmoil of “Pepeng”?  Who would ever forget the sight that Filipinos witnessed upon seeing the aftermath of “Ondoy”?  Did you feel fear and/or hope upon hearing President Aquino’s statement on preparations for super typhoon “Megi”?  They say that we don’t wake up until we get slapped in the face.  Well, with typhoons visiting our country one-by-one, we, as a nation, get slapped in the face.  We should stay awake and on guard whenever a typhoon is coming.  These were the thoughts that were running in my mind -- as I watched the midnight news-- when my niece exclaimed, “Tita, Disney Channel na lang panoorin natin.  Pauulit ulit lang naman yung palabas.  Laging flood.  Laging madaming tao.” 

What was seen on screen at that time is the effect of typhoon “Egay” in Cotabato City and the spread of diseases in the evacuation areas due to lack of medical personnel.  Typhoons and climate change – it’s almost impossible to pick up a magazine, a newspaper, or any print media without seeing at least one article on that topic.  That remark from my niece made me ask myself, are we really prepared when disaster strikes?  Have we learned the lessons of the typhoons that continuously and repeatedly enter the country?

Upon hearing the news, I identified the different gaps and the lessons learned from typhoons.  One may agree that indeed, there is still a delay on the response operations and relief assistance of our local government units.  There is also a delay on warnings and announcements such as suspension of classes or advisory about some flooded areas.  There is a lack of awareness and advocacy and lack in action plans.  In what typhoon alphabet will this problem be solved?  I think only time can tell.

On the other hand, these are not the root problems. I think what should be resolved first is the problem with us individuals.  Why?  Because we tend to depend on the national government.  We point our fingers to the authorities whenever we experience the typhoon’s wrath.  I realized that during natural disasters, especially typhoons, we must instill in our minds that ‘we are on our own’.  We are given the information and updates. That is why preparation and action must start from us. Then we can extend our help to our communities. Eventually, the problems during typhoon will not be such a major issue anymore.  And one must never forget, natural disasters are mostly an effect of man’s destructive impacts.  If you know what I mean.

Now, let’s learn our ABC’s.  Typhoons 2011 – A-Ameng, B-Bebeng, C-Chedeng, D-Dodong, E-Egay.  Are you prepared for F?

One thing I learned from the area I’m working with – “When you hear the thunder, it’s too late to build an ark”.