They say it takes an extreme disaster, whether manmade or natural, for people to learn the importance of planning and preparedness. Trauma jolts people from their numbness and forces them into action.
Supertyphoon Yolanda, which hit the Philippines two years ago today and killed more than 6,000 people, was considered one of the strongest typhoons in the world ever recorded. It was a natural disaster of extreme magnitude, a major trauma for a nation frequently visited by typhoons and earthquakes.
Yet, it is exactly this redundancy by which we experience disasters that seems to have numbed Filipinos into indifference. Like Japan, our misfortune is to be located in both the typhoon and earthquake belts of the Pacific.
The aftermath of Yolanda shook not just the Philippines but the whole world. Nations came immediately to our aid, sending money, relief goods and manpower that helped in the rescue, medical care and rehabilitation of devastated communities.
Looking back at those two years, have we learned enough from the trauma of Yolanda? Reports of donated funds still undistributed and victims returning to their former communities already identified as high risk, as government failed to relocate them in permanent shelters in safer areas, suggest that the same culture of bureaucratic inefficiency is stalling rehabilitation.
Despite repeated warnings from the weather bureau, media and the civil defense authorities, people continue to be caught unprepared when disasters strike. We saw this weeks ago when typhoon Lando hit northern Luzon. Most local government units still lack rescue equipment and fully furnished evacuation centers built for that purpose.
What lessons have we learned from Yolanda? The following are some observations made right after the disaster. They are not unique to Yolanda. In fact, they are predictable conditions common in all disasters.
Lesson number 1: Government will not always be there to save you. During Yolanda, even the mayor of Tacloban City preferred to go home to be with his family. When disaster strikes, some rescue workers are also expected to prioritize the safety of their own family over duty. Citizens should be prepared to protect themselves in all kinds of emergencies. Everyone must be taught basic survival skills and first aid (this makes grade school scouting important).
Lesson number 2: Help will not immediately arrive. Even in the United States, it took at least two to three days for authorities to come to the aid of victims of hurricanes Katrina (2005) and Sandy (2012). Massive hunger and looting happened after Yolanda in Leyte as people were not able to prepare food, water and other essentials. Each family must assemble beforehand a 72-hour bug-out bag containing ready-to-eat meals, water, a first aid kit and other basic survival items.
Lesson number 3: Expect a total systems breakdown. For days, supply of electricity, water, telecommunications, fuel and even food will be cut off following the destruction of the power grid, communication towers, water pipelines, and the closure of gas stations and supermarkets that rely on electricity and water for their operation. Even in good weather, each family should stock up on food, water, fuel and medicines to last at least one week. It is also important to store spare batteries and invest in solar and hand-cranked gadgets such as power banks, radios and flashlights.
Lesson number four: The absence of government will result in looting and other forms of violence. The absence of police immediately after Hurricane Katrina resulted in massive looting and the rise of armed gangs that sowed violence and fear in the streets. Victims of Yolanda in Tacloban recalled that eerie first night after the storm when they could hear gunshots and screaming in complete darkness as some desperate people attempted to break into homes to steal or rob. It is important that peace-loving citizens are able to defend themselves against such threats following disasters. Homeowners can organize and plan how they can secure their communities from such risks.
All these contingencies boil down to one lesson: self-reliance. In the event of a disaster, we cannot always rely on others to bail us out. We can only depend on ourselves for safety and survival.
When we have prepared enough food to last us for days, that means one less person or family in the crowd competing for what little donations the government can dole out. We don’t become a burden to the government. In fact, we can even be generous and share what we have with our neighbors in that time of need.
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