Rains have been falling over Negros Oriental long before the Pag-asa formally declared that the rainy season had begun.
In Metro Manila, even a 30-minute downpour is enough to cause floods in major thoroughfares. We can consider ourselves luckier than Metro Manila in this regard, but we know that we, too, are in danger when the rains continue for several hours.
Perhaps this is the time to revisit our Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plans. How prepared are we when disaster strikes?
We have seen a wall of water 20 feet tall rushing down the Banica River and destroying everything in its path. Yet, we never seemed to learn from that experience. Two days following the tragic flood last year, the informal settlers along the Banica River, particularly near barangay Tabuctubig, started rebuilding their shanties. They know the risk, they say, but they just have nowhere else to go.
President Noynoy Aquino, during his latest visit here, lamented that he expected to see the residents relocated from danger zones, but many people are still living right beside the river or right on the dry river beds. When the floods come again, they will surely be the first ones to cry for help.
It has been said time and time again that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. What can we do to prevent a similar fate from happening again?
