West Valley Fault

PERSPECTIVE – Cherry Piquero Ballescas – The Freeman

Reprinted as is from: TheFreeman

The recent destructive earthquakes and typhoons have affected us differently and have left all of us with varied emotions and reactions, personally, collectively.

While our hearts and prayers go out to those who suffered deeply, we are also left feeling helpless, wanting to extend much more to the affected, to help ease their pain and loss, but cannot or do not know how.

There were many cries for help, onsite, online. Many responded immediately, sharing whatever, however they could.

Let us recall some of these valuable responses.

The valiant efforts of those who tried to reach the children, elderly, among others, swimming through the muddy, rushing floodwaters, forming relay teams, using plastic basins or whatever as improvised rafts to bring the needy to safer roofs, safer venues will forever be etched in our minds, in our hearts. Thank God for these brave, selfless rescuers.

Their dedicated rescue teaches us what needs to be done while the calamities are ongoing, threatening lives of many.

Courage, selflessness, presence of mind, individual, collective creative action will be able to save lives.

Educating, training all how to remain calm, useful and safe during and within calamities should be revisited in all DRRM preparations in schools, offices, communities, churches, others.

While the value of having designated evacuation areas has been noted, so much more will need to be done to gather the victims and their families where they can receive appropriate care and response for their needs which can include medical/health attention, water, food, sleeping areas, comfort rooms with running water, communication facilities and devices and more.

There is also the need to have alternative options for designated evacuation areas and facilities should the first option not function or is affected by the calamity.

The experience of Northern Cebu with tent cities set up shows the need for creative, flexible, resilient emergency evacuation sites /facilities. There cannot just be one evacuation model for various types of calamities.

Private individuals and groups have also opened their own homes, offices, businesses to the victims and these laudable gestures are very much appreciated, thank you.

Many used social media to relay the urgent pleas of the victims in various places.

Did these relayed messages reach the concerned authorities and help/assistance extended?

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Another very important must-have in every calamity, in very disaster: communication and effective communication network where appeals for assistance, especially the most urgent are, without fail, responded to appropriately, at the quickest time possible, with no one left behind, no plea unheard, no needy ignored in any part of all affected areas.

Is there a RESCUE 911-like network from the household, sitio level all the way up to the town, city, provincial, regional and national level?

Most probably none yet or if there is, it did not seem to function well or at all during the recent calamities.

This inclusive, participatory, multilevel communication and rescue network is an urgent priority and need that all should strive to create and implement soonest at all levels throughout cities, provinces, regions, the whole country.

Rescuers or everyone should also be provided or required to have helmets, raincoats, boots, other appropriate items that will provide protection from injury, infection or other harm. Public funds should prioritize these safe/protective items and devices for all households and communities.

For sure, there are more than those listed here about what we all can do together before, during, after disasters.

If you also have more to add to this initial CAN DO list that are useful and protective for all, please email your suggestions/observations to us? Thank you.

This is also the time to study, review, filter through, decide/act together to select/implement which of the suggestions and reflections, from secular to sacred, can best protect people, nature, and the whole of creation, now and later.

Source: philstar.com