The Philippines may have been spared the effects of the recent tsunamis, but the country cannot avoid the kind of weather disturbance that happens regularly in this part of the planet.
This is because the Philippines is located in what is known as the typhoon belt.

Just how unprepared the Philippines is for natural disasters can be gleaned from its terrifying experience with Typhoon Ondoy three years ago.

While the death toll in the US as a result of Sandy has been pegged at 50 (as of this writing), the death toll as a result of Ondoy was about ten times larger. Considering that Sandy was much more powerful than Ondoy, it is clear that the Philippines’ disaster preparedness leaves much to be desired.

A couple of months ago, most of Metro Manila went underwater, and this was not even caused by a typhoon, merely seasonal torrential rains. Thank God, civil society groups of rescuers, local government units, specially at the barangay level, and the police and military collaborated in the microcosmic levels.

In name, the government has its National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), but this umbrella body does little more than react to a situation that is already there. Compare this with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the US, which is perpetually prepared for any emergency, any eventuality. (Although in the case of Katrina, the FEMA head got a lot of scolding for not being up to the job.)

What, then, will happen to Metro Manila, or any part of the Philippines, in the event that we have our own perfect storm and a tsunami experience like those of Japan, Indonesia and Thailand?

The NDRRMC’s shortcomings will again be exposed. After Katrina, the US federal government gave more muscle to FEMA. After Ondoy and Sendong, there is little for the NDCC to show that it is now better able to handle the worst possible crisis. (Although again, at this point, we must stop to hail the local governments that proved to be, in the United Nations’ view, models of preparedness and effective action.)

We hope the government is not waiting for the next weather disturbance to review and revise its disaster preparedness program. We pray that the NDRRMC and its branches down to the barangay level get the budget and equipment they need (like rubber boats and emergency lighting appliances).

May our country learn from this week’s US experience.

The US government was as ready as it could be for the worst possible scenario.
Is ours?