SURIGAO SPARED

It might be a gesture of ingratitude if I won't give due credit for having us, Surigaonons, spared from Typhoon Ruby's wrath. The weather seemed tolerable in Surigao City but the anxiety I felt visualizing the fear among fellow Filipinos as they are threatened by this slow-pacing tropical storm triggered the equilibrium of this heart of mine. 

As #RubyPH (International name: Hagupit) heads on its way in the eastern and central Philippines, the local government takes precautionary measures and risk reduction management to at least aim that achievable "zero casualty." In Surigao City, many locales were displaced as preemptive evacuation was implemented by the city government. Displaced locales mostly come from coastal and landslide-prone areas.

The onslaught of the Supertyphoon Yolanda, the world's strongest typhoon ever made landfall, in November last year and the massive damage in its aftermath has brought invaluable lessons that we must not undermine nature. It is both a powerful agent for social progress and a means for mass destruction.

At least there is always this good thing about being prepared from the national calamity fund to local logistics. With government-led systematic preparation and collective effort among local stakeholders, everything seems so easy. For being a country most vulnerable to effects of climate change, disaster and risk reduction management is every Filipino's responsibility.