It is not to our credit that Typhoon Yolanda decided to spare Negros Oriental from her wrath. You can say it just happened that way, or that it had something to do with divine intervention.
But what we all can take credit for is the heightened level of awareness of the general public in responding to natural calamities like Yolanda.
We have finally begun to take storms seriously to a point that people actually heeded calls to evacuate, or even decided to evacuate on their own.
Two days before Yolanda came, people were observed to be lining up at grocery stores as they stocked up on essential commodities, should the weather turn for the worst.
More and more people have also posted on social media their preparations for the typhoon, and encouraged others to do so.
Classes were suspended a day before the storm was expected to arrive, and important events in the University Town close to the date of the typhoon’s arrival were rescheduled. Clearly, this was no time to take chances.
It may have been a good sign that we were alerted three days before Yolanda by Tropical Depression Wilma, which eventually dissipated into a Low Pressure Area even before it could hit Negros Island. By then, we were ready for bad weather. And when Yolanda did come, we braced for the worst.
Now, we may be back to enjoying our small comforts in life, even as those who bore the brunt of Yolanda’s fury are currently in a state of devastation.
Thousands of people in Leyte, Samar and other provinces across the Visayas need our help now.
Perhaps it may be an opportune time for us to offer our thanksgiving by way of helping those who were ravaged by the typhoon. Let us open our hearts to our brethren in need.
