Reason 3: The property and the security of the property left behind
- is not assured safe by the local authorities
- is not usually insured
- may not be retrieved when the storm proves to be very damaging

There is really nothing to say to solve this predicament. Except to inform everyone that the reality is this. Natural calamities are designed to destroy without having to consider the effect on those who are going to survive it.

What are the options here?

If you can afford to insure your property, do so. For a year’s protection of around half a million to one million Philippine Pesos’ worth of assets, you could have it insured for less than PhP 3,000.

If you can set aside a portion of your 13th month pay for home or business insurance, then do so. You might think you would be just throwing away the money if no disaster strikes within the year, but on the other hand, it is protection for you and your hard work.

The way to think about it is this, find something in your house right now that you DO NOT use, but bought. Compute the total accumulated amount of the item(s) that you bought that you don’t really use. If it reaches an amount in between PhP 2,000 to PhP 3,000, then you have chosen to spend that amount on something that you like but doesn’t really protect you. If you buy insurance, you have spent your hard-earned money on something that you may not like but would protect you for one whole year.

We could ask the local authorities to keep an eye on the areas they are assigned to during the storm. But we also have to accept the reality that when the storm gets really bad, they too have to move to safe places and would have to leave the areas where your property are.

When we return to our homes after the storm, we may still have our homes to return to. Or we may not have any home to return to. It is a reality we have to accept.

But what is not acceptable is, there are many people who have sent help to those who lost their homes so they could rebuild, yet those who were supposed to be helped still was left homeless. With enough money to construct new homes and a year to rebuild before the next big storm, these people should be starting their lives anew. But if the money is not used correctly, then there would be no rebuilding after a very damaging storm.

This is another reality that many have accepted for decades after every damaging storm. The reality that when a natural calamity destroys properties and small economies, the real disaster happens when the donations sent from various sources for rebuilding the destroyed properties doesn’t reach those who need it. Or those who need it are shortchanged and given so much less than what was sent for them.

For you see, when a natural calamity arrives in our country, it comes in phases. The natural calamity brought about by the weather is the first phase. The second phase is the calamity brought about by the people who pocket the donations for the survivors of the natural calamity. And the last phase that doesn’t really end, is the calamity of people’s indifference to the effects of the second phase, where no one really does anything to punish those who pocketed donations.

There is another thing I wonder about the properties destroyed. Land titles are in paper form in still many towns. When storms destroy properties, such paperwork are also destroyed. Is there a way for people to retrieve their documents when they have been destroyed already? Is there a possibility that some big person would step into the picture and do some landgrabbing just because they know that the paperwork has already been destroyed and the people do not have the resources anymore to have new land titles made, unless they go to the central office for land titles and request for a new document themselves.

A tip to those who move to evacuation centers before a storm. Bring your important documents with you, especially if you are from the lower income group. Because when the storms ravage your properties, those documents would be the only assets you would have with you after the storm subsides.

Reason 2: The people managing the situation in the evacuation centers
- do not always have enough resources to attend to emergency situations that might suddenly occur
- do not really have control over the people staying at the evacuation centers
- do not usually have the authority to call the shots when big decisions are to be made immediately
- do not usually have the proper training to handle all possible situations that might occur there
- do not usually have enough communication devices to use in all possible situtations
As a grade school student I was already aware that having a set of classroom officers meant there would be a group of people who would be in charge of the orderliness of our class and classroom.

Which makes me ask this question.

Is there a fixed group of people in charge of disaster management in each town/city/municipality/baranggay? Or are they just assigned right before a storm?

Having a permanent group of people assigned would mean there would be continuity in the training, faces for the people to become familiarity with, development of trust between the people and those in charge of disaster management on a long term basis.

It’s like having superheroes to rely on. We see their faces everyday everywhere. We know who to call when this kind of problem arrives. The same should be applied to the local disaster management teams. The people should know who in the locality are their “superheroes” when disaster strikes.

Fixed group of people get trained regularly to handle disaster management scenarios. They get to receive training locally, nationally and possibly even from trainors outside our country. With consistent training, they would be able to handle more kinds of scenarios than the “just-assigned-before-the-storm” type of people. They would also know exactly what kinds of support equipment would be needed in their locality. If improvisations are needed they would also be able to make some.

Through the regular training, they would be able to establish networks with others like them. Thus they would be able to identify whom within the network has the equipment they need should they need it. And if it is possible for them to borrow such equipment ahead of time for their locality.

When the people realize that the people handling them are trained and knowledgeable in disaster management, respect shall be gained. With respect would come trust in what they would say when it is needed, especially when asking the people to relocate before the storm. They could also command more authority during rescues and within the evacuation centers themselves.

This group of people would then be known throughout the network of disaster management teams as the authority to communicate with during storms. No need to pass the call to someone else. They are there, they could receive any calls for help or instruction from higher ranks. They could also be the ones to make sure that the relief goods were received and distributed properly.

The clue is having a permanent group of people assigned to this task, regardless of the changes in their position or the people with higher rank than theirs.

In a classroom, there are very few students who do not follow the class officers. Because they know that whether they like it or not, they are going to be the class officers for the whole school year.

In a disaster, within a locality, if they know who belongs to the disaster management team, and that when they are in the evacuation centers they have no other recourse but to follow them, then orderliness can be gained.

As I said, all of these are easy to say but hard to do, I know. But if the people in charge during these situations really have the integrity to be in charge not because someone just hand picked them but rather because they have been trained for it, then it would be easier for the people to listen and conform.

TO BE CONTINUED

Reason 1: The evacuation centers

- do not have enough space to accommodate everyone comfortably
- do not have enough lavatory facilities to accommodate everyone’s needs
- do not provide a sanitary place to stay in for people who have health conditions that puts them in high risk during their stay there
- do not provide enough privacy between different families within a room
- is a potential source of health problems even to healthy people as they are mixed in with those who have viral diseases who could easily spread them to hundreds in a matter of hours
- do not have a steady food source, especially for those who are nursing and are very young children

Here are my suggestions on the possible solutions.

Make a survey of all the towns, cities, municipalities and baranggays that contain the following information:

 - population of the place including details such as number of children, sick(ly) people, pregnant women, disabled persons, etc.

 - separate the population count by societal status, meaning, those who are well to do, middle income, below poverty level

 - for those in the lower income group, you can find data on them in the health centers, especially if they go there for vaccines, senior citizen check-ups, dentals, etc.

 - for easier data collection, you could ask the schools to ask the students to submit on a sheet of paper the number of people in their house, their ages, and the health status of each. It won’t take more than an hour for the kids to do this.

 - solid structures that have many rooms, lavatories, sinks, indoor and outdoor faucets, whether public or private

 - position of the solid structure, whether it is near a flood-prone area or not

 - solid structure means a structure whose roof and walls are proven to be sturdy

 - can the solid structure be used for free or does it require a fee, if it does, how much is the cost
 

Since data about the local population has been collected, it would be easier to see and plan how to allocate the people into the available resources.

Also, planning must include having the people prepare the things they would use in the centers. Similar to the things that campers have to bring on a camping trip. That way they wouldn’t have to worry how to keep warm, or how to sleep. They would also be able to bring some food with them for possibly the first day they would stay there. Everyone is being taught this already on a regular basis. After all, they are to be transferred before the storm, giving them the ability to bring the things they need for their stay there versus pulling them out during the storm with only their clothes on.

Then here’s a different suggestion. If there are solid structures within the area that can be used by higher income families, then why not ask them for some help. Ask them if they would be willing to let some higher income families to stay in a room in their place for a very minimal fee, similar to a very very low transient rate, that the higher income families would be able to pay. After all during a storm there is no probability that anyone would be knocking on their door to pay them for a night’s stay. So in a sense, some of the solid structures with lots of spare rooms could be used as a temporary hostel of sorts during storms of those who belong to the higher income group. It wouldn’t hurt to ask if they would be willing to help in this way.

This could give the space the higher income groups are supposed to occupy at the centers to those in the lower income groups. It would also help in relieving the centers of the responsibility of feeding these higher income groups. They could bring their food to these makeshift hostels and cook there until the storm passes and they could return to their residences. This strategy could be pre-planned and information disseminated earlier. This option could also be used for those who are elderly or have health conditions that could endanger them if they stay in the centers.

Food source for those in the centers. That’s something to ponder on. However, I also have a suggestion.

When I visited an evacuation center a few years ago, I noticed that there were rooms that had makeshift convenience stores. Which means, the people in the centers actually had money to spend to buy what they needed. If they are brought to the centers before the storm, then they would also have the ability to prepare some cash to use inside the centers. But there aren’t any stores in the centers on the first night. They only arrive when the people are forced to stay at the centers for a longer time because their areas are still flooded.

What if a portion of the evacuation center is allowed to be rented out to those who want to put up stores or stalls. For example, if a local drugstore, or some other food cart, or water refilling station, would like to rent out a portion of the evacuation center during the storm, then why not give them a stall.

Create committees that would handle these and make all the finances transparent. Even to the point of having a blackboard or whiteboard available at the evacuation center with the figures from the rental collections shown. The people who are at the evacuation center would be able to buy what they need while staying there. Then there would be less people crying their eyes out waiting for relief goods to arrive at their evacuation centers because there are no stores outside the centers that they could buy from during the storm in case sudden medical treatments are needed.

Also, the money that could be collected from the rentals could be used to pay for the town’s minor repairs after the storm, or be donated for the burial fees of those who have lost their loved ones during the storm.

All of these are easy to say but hard to do, I know. But if those who have been in charge of evacuating the people before the storm have succeeded more recently than ever before, then maybe suggestions such as these can be slowly planned, implemented and taught.

How did I think of these? I just thought of having a school fair. In a school fair there are a lot of food stalls and a lot of people who know they are there only for a night or two. If there is a concert at the school fair, the people stay there until past midnight to watch and have fun, with blankets, pillows, jackets, some chairs or small stools, with children and adults of various ages.

Now move that idea of a school fair into an evacuation center. Change some of the aspects of the school fair and look at the similarities in the situation. What’s the similarity? You have a lot of people from varying income brackets in one place needing food, water, some sort of shelter and lavatories to use, some source of emergency supplies, their own space, a little privacy. Many school fairs turn out to be really successful. If that is possible, then maybe planning and implementing a successful disaster management plan is also possible.

TO BE CONTINUED

For many years it has been a goal to teach the people to leave their properties and stay at the designated areas within their towns or cities that are considered safe from destruction and flooding during the storms. For many years death tolls have been a primary concern besides the damage to property. All because people usually have a hard time taking what is told to them seriously, especially when it comes to storms that they are used to having all their lives. So when they are told to leave, they choose to stay. Couldn’t blame them for the following reasons:

Reason 1: The evacuation centers

- do not have enough space to accommodate everyone comfortably
- do not have enough lavatory facilities to accommodate everyone’s needs
- do not provide a sanitary place to stay in for people who have health conditions that puts them in high risk during their stay there
- do not provide enough privacy between different families within a room
- is a potential source of health problems even to healthy people as they are mixed in with those who have viral diseases who could easily spread them to hundreds in a matter of hours
- do not have a steady food source, especially for those who are nursing and children

Reason 2:  The people managing the situation in the evacuation centers
- do not always have enough resources to attend to emergency situations that might suddenly occur
- do not really have control over the people staying at the evacuation centers
- do not usually have the authority to call the shots when big decisions are to be made immediately
- do not usually have the proper training to handle all possible situations that might occur there
- do not usually have enough communication devices to use in all possible situtations

Reason 3: The property and the security of the property left behind
- is not assured safe by the local authorities
- is not usually insured
- may not be retrieved when the storm proves to be very damaging

Preparing for a storm takes a lot of planning. After the planning comes a hell of a lot of training. After the training is the arduous task of  implementing everything that was planned and learned during training.

Things don’t always turn out as expected. But you would know when planning is done well if the people are made to leave their property and stay at the evacuation centers BEFORE the storm actually ravages the places it is predicted to visit.

This storm series is an attempt to help shed some light on the possible things that could be done to address the reasons above. For the next days I would be posting a blog entry to express my opinions on what can be done additionally to the already planned disaster prevention measures.

Some thoughts from a stay-at-home mom who watches on TV the effects of the storms that pass through our country annually, experiences some of them, and would like to pass on some suggestions that might help.

TO BE CONTINUED

After the Yolanda super storm
there has been a lot of suggestions on how to rebuild
what was destroyed
and where to get the funding

Maybe this is an opportunity to have the calamity victims
avail of this capital assistance to help them
rebuild their sources of livelihood
since there is already an existing budget for this
then that means the money is ready for distribution anytime

Every municipal hall has a database of business owners within their jurisdiction
A sincere offer of helping in the rebuilding
would be a letter sent to each business owner
informing them that they may apply for the “Livelihood Capital Assistance – SEA” program
in response to the devastation brought about by the calamity

Maybe there are other existing livelihood assistance programs
that have allocated budgets to them already
and are just not used yet
that may be tapped to help in the rebuilding process
and possibly even start a new tradition for calamity victims
that every time there is a calamity
existing livelihood assistance programs with existing allocated budgets
would be used to help them rebuild their sources of livelihood
then it just might allow us show the world that when calamity strikes in our country
we don’t always cry our eyes out and look totally helpless
instead, we would be able to prove that
we have ways of helping ourselves pick each other up
and help in rebuilding what was destroyed

But I am not writing this for donations for those who
were struck by these calamities.
I am writing to ask why we cannot do anything
to prepare for them or make better precautions.

Think of it this way.
If you had a harddisk full of your files and digital media
more often than not you would have saved it in
an extra storage device, say a flash drive or SD card.
Why? Because you regard these as important and
you’d hate to lose them.

If you were in charge of a group for disaster prevention
would it be so hard to think of the people and property
as your personal files and digital media?

I can’t accept that crap about not having the budget for
buying the equipment necessary to prepare and address
these situations.
I can’t because just by simple computation of the amount
of VAT paid in a month by almost all the establishments
and businesses in my country, it would be impossible
not to have the budget for it.
Try this, get a receipt from your last fastfood meal,
get the VAT amount printed in it,
and multiply it by the population of our country.
That’s how much VAT they get in a month only!
Multiply it by a dozen months then you’ll get an estimate
of the VAT they receive in a frigging year!
And that’s only from eating in a fastfood restaurant.

We have the technology to detect weather changes
so much so that we would have enough time to prepare the
people for the proper evacuation prior to calamities happening.

Shortsightedness.
We sadly evacuate them to  places that are in the same area
of the calamity
only difference is they are schools and basketball courts.
Similar to coralling a herd of sheep into a fenced area
which is also going to be ravaged by a storm.

Some simple questions when planning.

So we have a calamity going to strike.
What areas are going to be affected?
Where is the area most accessible for the people to transfer to
that would be kilometers away from the affected area?
What vehicles could be used to transfer them?
How many days or hours prior to the calamity should they be transferred?
What accommodations can be used for them?
Could we possibly prepare tents and portalets
in open areas that they are to transfer to, just like a big jamboree?

Food and clothing?
How about this suggestion.
Areas that are calamity-prone must have some types of committees
that would have a collection program where the residents themselves
would give say a hundred or two a month as “reserve money”
for food when disaster strikes.
After all, we already know which areas are calamity-prone.
These committees must have a legal identity and total transparency
in collecting these “reserve money” so that there would be no trouble
when the time comes to use it for such purposes.
Then waiting for the donations of food wouldn’t be too hard.

Clothing?
If these people are evacuated early enough
then they would be prepared enough to bring their clothes.
Donated clothes would then be supplementary.

How much does a boat cost?
The type they use in the Amazon river when hunting for dangerous animals?
How many people fit in these kinds of boats at a time
for rescue and transfer missions?

I’ve lived for many decades
and seen and gone through many calamities in our country.
But I have never seen a calamity here that was averted
because the proper preventive measures
and emergency responses were made.
 
We brag so much about being natives of our country
that we can hold our own against anyone in the world
But in reality, we don’t really care much about keeping
ourselves safe when calamity strikes.
With or without the help of our most of the time,
incompetent or unskilled or unprepared or ill-equipped government people
and yes, even leaders during times of calamities.

It’s pretty simple really.
Most of us are more organized without them.
By them, I mean our government.
If we just form our own groups to monitor small areas
at a time and implement disaster prevention measures
on our own regardless of what level in society our neighbors are
then there would be less deaths and destruction to property.

Honestly, if we asked ourselves,
if our government didn’t have money
and it was dirt poor
do any of us think that when calamity strikes
these so-called leaders would dig from their own pockets
and send money for food and clothing for the victims?
Do you think they would use their own luxury cars
to fetch people who are stranded in flooded areas?
Maybe a handful would
But most of them would be out of town faster than us.
Making sure their own families and properties are safe.
Because after the calamity, they would have the
personal money to rebuild what they have lost.

Sometimes I don’t want to see videos of those calamities
because it makes me feel so helpless
even if I send money and other goods
I know it would never be enough to help them rebuild
what shouldn’t have been destroyed if there was just
proper planning
Nor can I go to the offices of those people
in charge of disaster prevention and emergency response,
in charge of the budget,
in charge of signing those legal papers they need, even the leaders themselves
and punch their faces for irresponsibility and neglect

The calamities we go through aren’t hurricanes or tsunamis
they are superstorms and floods
preventable
solvable
reversible

But only if we choose to help ourselves
instead of relying too much on a group
to save us time and time again
but has never succeeded
since the first type of our government was put into place.

Maybe we can’t do it yet
organize ourselves, I mean.
Maybe it’s not the nature of our countrymen to be organized
in this way.
Maybe we’re just better at addressing a problem when it has happened like being reactive than pro-active.

Everyday, for every calamity, people ask me to donate
what good would it do if the money and the goods
doesn’t really reach those who need it
What then?
I have already given money but through a group that
I have trusted for many years for their transparency.

If only there was a way to see
how much has been donated in total everyday
and how much of these donations in both cash and kind
has reached those who need it
then maybe, just maybe there would be sincerity
in the effort to help and rebuild
each time disaster strikes
Maybe.