Preparing for megastorms

Last Wednesday the first year anniversary of typhoon Pablo (Bopha) was commemorated. In 12 days, we remember typhoon Sendong (Washi). We do this with the ordeal of supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan) still fresh in our minds.

With the series of megastorms, we rebuild communities as we mourn and try to m ake sense of past tragedies.

The storms have left many shell-shocked and fearful of the potential of Mother Nature’s fury.

It would be defeatist, however, to say that tere is not much we can do about an act of Nature. A response should start with accepting the reality of more severe and wacky weather disturbances to come, a mindset to prepare communities to adapt and survive. But that’s only a starting point.

Many towns and cities n Cebu prepared for Yolanda days before it struck. Yet, northern Cebu where the storm directly passed was almost leveled to the ground.

A few degrees lower in Yolanda’s west-northwest path would have meant mayhem in Metro Cebu. Thank God, it did not change course.

But we have to be forewarned.

A 2012 study by the World Wildlife Fund and the Bank of the Philippine Islands Foundation entitled “Business Risk Assessment and the Management of Climate Change Impacts” was conducted in eight cities across the country, including Cebu City.

It found Metro Cebu exposed to all six “climate scenarios” namely, 1) El Niño; 2) Sea surface temperature rise between 1 to 4 degrees Celsius; 3) Ocean acidification; 4) Sea level rise; 5) tropical cyclones becoming more intense; and 6) Increased precipitation resulting in above normal rainfall which could trigger floods and landslides.

Adaptation to climate change and disasters starts with short, medium and long-term planning. Emergency response does not happen when a storm hits. It starts with a good early warning system.

The ball should start rolling now, even as relief and rehabilitation efforts continue.

The Cebu provincial government is on the right track in forming a rehabilitation task force whose goal is to rebuild better.

In Cebu City, we worry about the impact of the political skirmishes between Mayor Michael Rama and the City Council which is leading the city into a governance gridlock.

Before a new year starts, we hope they ease up on the hostilities and agree on what to do for public welfare and how to prepare Cebu City for the next calamity.