Filipinos must show resilience before disaster–Legarda

MANILA, Philippines–One year after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” battered Central Visayas and nearby regions, Sen. Loren Legarda wants the Filipino to manifest his vaunted resilience even before a natural hazard occurs.

Senator Loren Legarda, INQUIRER file photo

“The world recognizes the resilience of the Filipino spirit. Even after experiencing the worst disaster, we find reason to smile and laugh, we help others even if we are victims too, and we immediately go about our business. Resilience has been a remarkable strength of our citizens, but at the end of the day, the greater challenge after a typhoon or earthquake is always how to rebuild our communities?” Legarda said.

“One year after Yolanda devastated numerous communities in Central Visayas, I hope we all have learned our lessons well. Let us bring our resilience to a higher level—where we need not weep for a lost loved one after a natural hazard and where there is less or no more damaged infrastructure and properties because we have already managed to make our communities safe,” she said.

Legarda, UN Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, said she hoped the government rehabilitation plan would be carried out well so the survivors would not have to face the same tragedy again.

“I am glad our government has embraced the concept of building back better. In building back better, we must rebuild communities with the confidence that we are not rebuilding the risks again. We need to ensure that the reconstruction of homes and infrastructure will be on safer ground following geohazard maps and sound construction standards. We need to restart and create livelihoods and restore normalcy to people’s lives with a stronger sense of hope and confidence for the future,” she said.