Editorial
The Philippines’ first typhoon for 2022 turned out to be catastrophic as landslides recorded in several parts of the Province of Leyte claimed several lives and left millions of damages under mud.
Thousands of Leyteños perished the floodwaters brought about by torrential rains that ran for days. Hundreds of millions worth of damages to agriculture were recorded. Typhoon Agaton came at a time when the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared the start of summer time country. Agaton flooded this part of the region that was gearing for the harvest season. Moreover, Agaton visited the country that was observing the traditional Holy Week.
Calls to cease mining operations, drastic reforestation programs and climate justice once again echoed the airwaves while Leyteños of all walks of life immediately unite to send help to those who perished. Rescue operations were launched to extend help to isolated areas, relief operations from both government and the private sector quickly reached the victims.
For a region still recovering from the wreckage of Typhoon Odette last December, Agaton brought unwanted disaster.
In this observance of the Holy Week, Agaton reminds us that we are powerless against the wrath of nature. That despite the strides and advancements mankind took towards progress, nature can eradicate everything at a snap of the finger.
True enough, our vaunted resiliency was again put to the test. But reality is, nobody wanted to test how resilient we are. Not when resiliency usually incorporates disaster.
Leyte has seen its fair share of catastrophic typhoons within this decade. The world’s strongest typhoon, Yolanda, was barely 9 years ago. Then there was Urduja in 2017 and Ursula during the Christmas week of 2019. Then Jolina and Odette wreaked havoc in 2021 then recently, Agaton. Notwithstanding our fair share of earthquakes and the coronavirus pandemic.
Frequent as these ‘tourists’ visited this part of the country, our respective local government units ought to realign their priorities to adapt and prepare themselves for the next one. Our government must and should explore adaptive measures to climate change.
For starters, our officials and those who will succeed them in the upcoming general elections next month, must promulgate proactive measures to ensure security in food production during and after disasters. Farmers and Fisherfolks are the most affected sector in every typhoon and flood. Compounding their woes, their wasted crops are usually coming from loaned capitals thus seeing their products go to waste is equally devastating. The food sector, farming, animal husbandry and fisheries must be prioritized.
Calamities are inevitable like a blink of an eye yet the least the government can prepare is to provide cushion such that damages would be tolerable enough.
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