Camella Homes and Mother Rita Homes in Candau-ay have been badly damaged. These are very dangerous places for a community because they are located in the path of the Banica River overflows. I wonder why government approved these residential projects? It’s the wrong location for residential purposes. We will see another Cherry Hills [landslide tragedy of 1999 in Antipolo City] if this is not corrected. It’s a catastrophe waiting to happen. — Concerned Candau-ay resident
Sadly, no one could have. If someone had told you two weeks ago that a typhoon would hit Dumaguete and trigger flash floods, would you have believed him? — Dominique Cimafranca, English teacher
Good planning and the will to implement the plan. Just the same, there is no perfect plan for a perfect storm. The best and only option is to be ready to face the ultimate, which is death. Real tragedy is dying without Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour. — Roy Olsen de Leon, professor of Biology
Perhaps each barangay should have its own assigned rescuers in case of the inevitable. To rescue someone requires only seconds and minutes, not hours of waiting for rescuers to arrive coming from different rescue mission groups from another barangay. Calamities such as this is a matter of life and death, therefore, it requires planning and preparation ahead of time. “Always anticipate the unexpected” should be the motto of the whole concept of emergency disaster preparedness. — Virginia Stack, Social Work expert
Nature’s fury can not be avoided but perhaps if there were more trees, it wouldn’t have been this bad. For the long term, we should plant more trees. For the short term, there should be an early evacuation, and people should be advised not to build houses along riverbanks. — Josie Calumpong-Columna, assistant provincial administrator, Negros Oriental
We could have been more vigilant, and heeded the Signal #2 weather forecast warning for southern Negros by preparing for the worst. The problem is that we seldom experience such climatic event thus, making us very complacent and forgetful of events such as the February 2009 floodings. — Rev. Callum Tabada, pastor, United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Sibulan
Redesign our cities and buildings in harmony with nature. Let’s look at the way Singaporeans are reshaping their country through great sustainable architecture and engineering. — Architect Ned Carlos, imagineer, Carlos & Antique Architects
1) Plant more trees. 2) De-clog the canals regularly. 3) Build better drainage system infrastructure. — Rosario “Os” Rosales, Valencia resident
If we stopped cutting trees in the mountains. This is just the beginning for worse things, if illegal logging or cutting of trees for charcoal/fuel will not stop. — Greg Morales, photojournalist
Kon lamang si xxx [name of broadcast commentator] nahibalo mopili ug isyu nga banatan sa radyo. Kon lamang aduna sya’y gamayng kahibalo mahitungod sa Signal #2. Kon lamang nahibalo sya unsay gipasabot niana alang sa mga lumulupyo sa Dumaguete, mamenos-menosan unta ang katalagman nga nahiaguman sa mga mulupyo sa Dumaguete ug mga kasakbit nga mga lungsod niini. Lisod ipangandam sa lalom nga isyu sa mga tawong mabaw ug huna-huna. Ang nakapait kay lalum ang baha nga nakaangol sa mga katawhan sa dakbayan sa Dumaguete. — concerned Dumaguete resident
There should be more media attention ahead of the storm that would tell the people what to do to prepare for floods. The City evacuation plan should be announced on radio and TV, etc. — Amy Ellingson-Villanueva, humanitarian aid volunteer
We have to listen to PAGASA [Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, & Astronomical Services Administration] advisories and not to take them for granted. It’s a mitigation aspect. — Rudy Juan, Philippine National Red Cross expert
We should take a serious look at pre-disaster preparations. If ever there are river-control projects instituted, there should be no quarrying of riverbeds in the guise of dredging. The National Building Code prohibits that within one kilometer upstream and downstream from any infrastructure — be it bridges or dikes. In Amlan, we’re thinking of opening an upland relocation side for flood-prone Tambohangin residents, build a road for accessibility, provide water and light, hoping to entice them to transfer. — Atty. Bentham dela Cruz, Amlan Mayor
By digging and maintaining drains promised by the barangay captains, and putting up street signs: Put Your Garbage in Trash Cans & Not on the Street! And having each store put a trash can near their entrance with a sign that says: Put Your Trash Here Please. — Mimi Davies, environment advocate
Continuous tree-planting programs, observing and strictly-enforcing environment laws, and promoting eco-tourism and industries that are environment-friendly. Continuous information drive on climate change. And most important of all, we should pray to God for daily protection. — Engr. Jul Gallogo, DN Steel
We should have imposed a river riparian zonation policy, and prevented people from living close to the rivers. We should have rehabilitated our denuded forest, and made the geothermal reservation management accountable for the loss of forest cover. We should have installed flood control systems, built bigger drainage canals, improved disaster planning and management, educated people on disaster discernment and preparation. We should have criminalized environment abuse and degradation, and practiced transparency and accountability — the first time we suffered from serious flooding. — Dr. Ely Alcala, director, SU Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management
Of all the provinces in this unfortunate country of ours, I’m most sensitive about anything that happens to Negros Oriental. We couldn’t have averted the typhoon itself but our own scientists had been warning us about these natural catastrophes. It’s not as if we did not know about Typhoon Sendong. Even two years ago, we could have learned our lessons already. We had convened the Provincial Disaster Risk-Reduction & Management Council but since climate change is irreversible, we needed to take precautions. Dumaguete was not as badly hit relative to the other towns, but how about the rest of Province? Something must be happening in Mt. Talinis. I had always been very proud of the fact that the entire Province is protected and sheltered by Mt. Talinis but since the flashfloods of February 2009, something must be happening up in Talinis. I’m not an environmental scientist but maybe Mt. Talinis has lost its capacity to hold huge amounts of rainwater. Have we prepared for such eventuality? We have to set aside all political bickering in the Province, among the Districts, among the Mayors and together, deal with issues that have proven to be at risk. Mt. Talinis cannot seem to protect us anymore. Negros Oriental is one of the most environment-conscious provinces in the country. It’s even a blessing that the flashflood happened at daytime. It’s a blessing that we have institutions like Silliman whose personnel went around the towns in the Silliman firetruck to rescue people. I was a victim myself; I’m distraught that my home in Valencia was destroyed. But how about the prevention of more devastation in the future that could even be more serious? As we already know, the sea level is rising. Silliman has done some serious planning in that regard. But we could only do so much. Let us put all our resources together. Let the pork barrels of all three Congressmen, and the IRA [internal revenue allotments] of the cities and towns be placed in one common fund dedicated to the environment. This might even serve as a model for other provinces in the country. Yes, we couldn’t have avoided the typhoon per se, but we could have prepared for its consequences. The bigger challenge is to stop the plotting and counterplotting among the politicians, and produce a plan that would protect the people. How about the very poor? Will they again be allowed to rebuild fragile structures for their homes along the river banks? The challenge is find out why Mt. Talinis can’t seem to protect us anymore. — Prof. Leonor Briones, chairperson, Silliman University Board of Trustees
The havoc wrought by the strong typhoon was something that no amount of preparations could have avoided. It serves, however, as a testament to the power and fury of nature; a reminder that we should be conscious of how we treat our environment. — Mahogany Rae Bacon, SU Environment Communication student
We can’t fight mother nature and it’s hard to predict when disaster would strike. But since floods have become a frequent problem, we have to anticipate by evacuating people from the riverside early enough before the storm. And perhaps we have to plan well and open new paths for future floodwaters to flow. — Dr. Krypton Kho, neuro-surgeon
Government should understand deeper disaster-awareness and preparedness through lectures/seminars in all barangays. There’s a need to identify zoning of flood-prone areas. — Dr. Dwight Sun, Education program supervisor, Department of Education
By not being complacent. Dumaguete is no longer free from typhoons. The devastated areas should teach us several lessons. Perhaps people should relocate their homes, means of production, and other structures to safer places. The recent devastation should serve as guide. Both LGU and national government must review thoroughly their disaster preparedness program. Many were caught unprepared. There should be a system of warning and mobilizing people more effectively. An alarm system is needed. People should be made to realize the devastating power of mother nature when abused by people. Deforestation, illegal logging, and irresponsible mining should be stopped absolutely. — Carlos Magtolis Jr., professor of Geography
Natural occurrences like storms and typhoons cannot be avoided. We can lessen their impact by not living on river banks where trees should be planted. Restore the watershed by growing no-take forests. Remove the dump area from the Banica Riverbank. No beautifying or the “controlling” of waste in that area can withstand the force of floodwaters. The amount of waste that is now in the shores and on the sea is sad to behold. And yes, conscript the Army to plant trees. Soldiers should carry spades instead of guns. — Esther Ceniza-Windler, environment advocate
We could have mitigated the damage of the extraordinary calamity. Henceforth, the City must focus on a sincere integrated disaster response plan. Corollary to this, every department of the City must invest on research so they can all contribute to the integrated plan, classifying the short-, medium-, and long-term projects. More importantly, honest and sincere political will is needed to implement the plan. The disaster we experienced was not merely an ecological problem but socio-economic, cultural, and political as well. — Atty. Joe Kenneth Arbas, City Councilor
An effective warning system should have been put in place down to the sitio level, particularly among riverside communities. This should comprise of a communication network that would sound the alarm, originating from the provincial level, and trickling down to the barangays, in the event that an oncoming typhoon poses a possible threat to the area. And it should not have been enough that barangay officials were given half-day seminars on the subject. City and municipal personnel should have gotten down to the level of the sitios to drill the people themselves of the precautionary measures that have to be undertaken when faced with impending typhoons. Short of instilling moral fear into them, the realities of death and destruction brought about the calamities should be drilled into their consciousness. Our officials need to find a way to train people to overcome the basic tendency to believe that “bad things happen only to others”. Those in high-risk areas should be taught that it’s better to be safe than sorry. — Olga Lucia Alinas-Uy, homemaker
Why are we so arrogant to think we can thwart the forces of nature? — Dr. Doody Garcia-Carre, Valencia resident
Invest extensively for our weather forecasting capabilities that translate to an effective advance public warning system. — Jose Marie Jonathan Antonio, head, SU Office of Institutional Advancement
Massive illegal fishing that depletes the reef of a normal ecosystem, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emission caused the stronger hurricanes this time. We have lost billions worth of reef ecosystem service here in Siaton. Corals more than a meter wide are now in the shore. Fishes were washed aground with the 20-meter waves. It was like a tsunami where many boats were destroyed. It’s still a problem of greed that we never seem to learn at all. It’s heart-breaking. — Gena Dayon, Bantay Dagat-Siaton volunteer/SU Environmental Governance student
Although typhoons are natural calamities, we could still have avoided or lessened the incidentsby heeding the call of the weather bureau, and preparing ourselves to be able to evacuate anytime. There should be no more building of houses on riverside or on banks of the river. Store emergency and basic supplies, clothing, and pertinent papres in emergency packs. If only we stopped kaingin in the mountains, if only government were strict especially on illegal loggers, if only…. — Grace Anfone-Bustillo, homemaker
There is a need for data on volume of rainfall, and time that overflowing of the Banica River will most likely occur when there is a typhoon or heavy downpour. The data can serve as basis for informing the residents who could be affected by it, through the use of a PA system or the radio to instruct them to move to higher ground. Next is to prohibit houses to be built along the Banica. There is also a need to review and redesign the drainage system of the City if this can no longer accommodate the volume of rainfall of recent times. We cannot prevent the wrath of nature but we can prevent tragedies from happening if we have the right date to reshape how we live and behave. — Dr. Enrique Oracion, sociologist
I think avoiding the inevitable is not the issue; it is prevention…and that is a long story: if we planted more trees than we cut, if we had more bicycles on the road than there are cars, if we walked more than we would ride, if we had more conservationists than politicians, if the remaining few politicians became avid conservationists, if the law went after those who destroy our fragile forest areas — who happen to be big names…Don’t look at clogged drains, the poorly-made roads that got ripped and bridges that toppled. Look deep into what’s causing the collapse of our ecosystem because when we really do, we will find the root cause, and hopefully, take serious steps toward a cure. Otherwise, we’d all be as kids putting Bandaid over a big untreated wound, and hoping it would heal itself. With the ecosystem, we only have one chance. Damage it once, and we live with it forever. — Mark Corton, Dumaguete resident
On an individual level, the simple act of throwing our trash in waste receptacles would have helped the water flow through our canals and thus, helped to prevent major flooding in our City streets. On the legislative level, I think it’s high-time our political leaders finally considered urban tree projects, marine and coastal sanctuaries, and a proper sanitary landfill to combat the combined effects of the climate crisis and single-use plastics. — Jean Utzurrum, chairperson, SU Student Government Environment Committee
We continue to tamper with God’s systems…what do we expect? Mangroves are cleared to make way for housing projects. We biuld structures on what was once a riverbed. Business dam the rivers for their own selfish needs with complete disregard for the consequences. We continue to quarry indiscriminately, and cut trees irresponsibly. You solve the greed, and we can avoid future tragic deaths. There are smart and responsible ways to build and do business. Other countries have done it, why can’t we? — Ana Patrice Ceniza-Montebon, homemaker
Through proper/responsible waste disposal, by not using plastic bags, by planting/not cutting trees, and by not ignoring weather forecasts. We have to be prepared for the worst. — Ylang-ylang Jordan, businesswoman
