MindaNews: Our Village is Gone

Typhoon Pablo’s Wrath

Typhoon Pablo devastated almost half of the Mindanao island on December 4, leaving at least 900 people dead and almost a thousand others missing. This is perhaps the worst natural disaster that hit the supposed “typhoon-free” region. The storm left thousands of people homeless and in dire need of food, water, medicine and shelter.

Water Containers, water purifiers

Volunteers at a warehouse in Cagayan de Oro City prepare water containers and water purifiers for tropical storm Sendong victims in this city and Iligan. These water containers and water purifiers are provided by Oxfam Philippines through its local partner Humanitarian Response Consortium (HRC).

(UPDATED) Mapping Disasters in Mindanao

View Sendong in a larger map

(I’ve added an approximate path of Typhoon Sendong (international codename: Washi) based on PAG-ASA’s  Severe Weather Bulletin as of 10:30pm of December 18,2011 )

Here’s my attempt to map out natural disasters, mostly major ones, that hit Mindanao. The green markers indicate the past incidents while the red ones represent the areas hit by typhoon Sendong (international codename: Washi) on December 17, 2011.

You may navigate through the map if you want to view it a little bigger. Just click on the markers to view the details.

These are based on the data of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and few news reports quoting concerned local government  agencies. For accurate data, you may also search the website of the NDRRMC.

If you think I might have missed some disasters that hit Mindanao, please feel free to post your comments or suggestions.

With this data on the map, which part of Mindanao you think it’s still safe to live?

Collapsed

A bus passes by a collapsed portion of the Davao-Bukidnon national highway in Kitaotao, Bukidnon on Friday, August 26. Heavy rains caused several landslides along the national highway.

Matina Crossing: Arroyo Compound

Just this afternoon, as much as we wanted to stay longer amid the heavy rain, the residents told us to leave area because another flood may hit the village again.

Sign of Times….

Is this the sign of times?  Sea water level rise is evident here at Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City. Experts blame the ice melt from arctic glaciers as the primary cause of sea water level rise.

Disaster Preparedness: Failure

Days after Ondoy hit Metro Manila and other parts of the Luzon, I have’t heard any “big” news on government’s effort to extend aid to the victims of the typhoon’s wrath. Instead, it’s the support from the private sector is overwhelming than from those who should really provide.

Millions of pesos have been spent in foreign trips and even in provincial sorties of the President but why the government cannot allocate some funds for ‘disaster preparedness’ since Philippines is in the typhoon belt?  And the typhoons are getting worst. If the government can afford to charter some choppers for the Presidential visits in the provinces, why it cannot afford to buy a new one for the NDCC? Or why it did not initiate to hire choppers to rescue flood victims on the first day or second day of the tragedy?

The Palace has earlier made a ‘gimmickry’ by opening the gates of the Palace for relief operations and even as temporary shelters. But now they are taking it back?! Such a shame.

Also, Arroyo and her Cabinet would extend financial help by donating their two-month salaries. Naunahan na kayo  ni Mayor Duterte! Gaya-gaya? Sabagay, better late than nothing at all!

Also read:

The Manila Floods: Why Wasn’t the City Prepared?

Forgotten victims

Late June this year, these families were displaced due to flash flood in Talomo, Davao City. According to them the City Government of Davao handed P10,000 financial assistance to each family. One of them said that they used the money to buy lumbers to be able to reconstruct their washed-away houses. But when they left the lumber at the site, another flash flood hit the village and washed away the lumber.

Until now, they are homeless and languishing at the evacuation center inside the San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish compound in Talomo. Sadly,the parish also charged them for at least P200 each family their water consumption. There are around 20 families who are temporarily staying at the parish compound.

Some are waste pickers, construction workers and some women are also doing laundry services to meet their daily needs.

Climate is changing

Whew, look what’s happening in Cagayan De Oro City. I remember the days in 2001 and 2002  when I was assigned by Cyberdyaryo to do a story on the anti-illegal logging campaign of Task Force Macajalar in CDO. They put up a barricade near Xavier’s College of Agriculture and also near the location SM now.

I also recalled the denial of the DENR official of Region 10 that there was an illegal logging activities in his region. I was then a greenhorn reporter who set an interview to that official and ended up being scolded while denying that there were illegal logging activities in his region.

So, look at CDO now, it’s like a waterworld.