The Philippines have been faced with multiple challenges as devastating typhoons struck the country week after week. As an archipelagic country situated near the vast Pacific Ocean, to encounter with at least 20 typhoons per year has been a norm – we have witnessed the destruction of typhoons every year but over the course of history, have we ever learned how to mitigate such catastrophes? Or have we just begun to realize the reality that the wave of industrialization has its impact towards the environment and the climatic changes we experience today? Or maybe we are stubborn to realize such phenomenon?
Last November 12 we confronted a typhoon; Ulysses, as the PAGASA calls it, which wreaked havoc in Luzon just after Super Typhoon Rolly which have also devastated the Bicol region. Endless torrential rain poured over Central Luzon, Rizal, and NCR that caused massive flooding. Destruction of property and lives were lost on the onslaught of these events.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Php 1.19 billion pesos for agriculture, and Php 469.7 million for infrastructure, were damaged done by the Typhoon Ulysses. Moreover, statistics are expected to rise as numbers still being assessed.
These occurrence caused environmental topics be brought; namely, the continuous deforestations in the country, specifically in the mountain ranges of Sierra Madre. It was also brought to attention the Kaliwa Dam, a China-funded dam project located in General Nakar, Quezon. Since the beginning of its proposal, many oppositions have expressed why the project would not only be unsustainable to the environment but would also be unethical to those indigenous groups whom will be relocated. Many have convey fear and frustration over the project and one of them is Gerry Arances, Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), he said that the project would only bring destruction to the ecosystem especially to the Sierra Madre all while displacing local communities.
While the project is intended solve the water supply problems in Metro Manila, it still compromises the environment and the local IPs living in the area. As deforestations continues as a malpractice in the country, the Sierra Madre which had been a long barrier for typhoons is being compromised for such development. We are experiencing the continuous change in the climate, yet environmental issues are still being pushed back. Despite oppositions and red flags, the project is still being pushed through by the administration.
The poor are the most vulnerable to such calamities and it is the role of the government to protect its people. If the government continues to ignore such issues, then they fail to give their service.
As a country who experiences catastrophic impacts of typhoons, it should be in the top priority how we mitigate the destruction brought by these calamities. Years after years we are facing typhoons and we have experienced how fatal it has been as global warming continues to disrupt our climate.
The government should invest and fund a project which can help lessen the risk of this yearly struggle rather than funding a project which could costs the lives of its people – a project that is morally, environmentally, and economically risky.
Such crisis should leave a lesson to our government and leaders. Negligence to environmental issues, is negligence to the people. To push through such project is to compromise nature and risk the lives of many people. The Kaliwa Dam Project proved that looking after the consequences to environment is worth scrutinizing at the cost of lives of the Filipino people. Sierra Madre which have proven its worth during such calamities continues to face abuse. The Filipino people might be resilient at the times of calamities but resiliency should never be an excuse to justify the negligence of those who should lead us and provide us with better service. We deserve a better governance. – Elvin Rae B. De Leon/The Freehand Opinion
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