Bagong bagyo sa Baguio

TODAY many parts of the world are experiencing some sort of weather disturbance that seems to be towards the extreme. These particular weather occurrences are alarming and also dumbfounding. We all seem surprised, unaware and wondering whether these are just sudden freaks of nature. Everyone is fully aware that the world is experiencing changes in weather particularly that of temperature.

Global warming plays a major role in what the world is experiencing today. Apparently the change in temperature affects the northern and southern most parts of mother earth. With the increase of just a degree in temperature, glaciers and icebergs melt. This melting will increase water by also a meter. There are parts of the world that will be most affected by these changes.

The first to be affected will be the beautiful islands of Maldives, considered to be the most beautiful place on earth by many. Second will be the Pacific Islands then the third will be a tie between Indonesia and its surrounding islands and the Philippines. These areas I mentioned will soon sink or be overcome by water. You may have noticed from recent storms the flooding, and of course some of our shorelines are now gone, eaten up by water. This change in temperature also affects the kind of storms we have today.

We may have read lately the flooding in Beijing that accounted for 37 deaths; but more so the embarrassment that it caused for the Chinese Government resulting to the resignation of the Mayor of Beijing. Another was the flooding in Bangkok, Thailand where the new Prime Minister had to explain and apologize to her people on what just happened. But can they be blamed? Or who is to be blamed? It is all our fault.

Global warming is all because of GREED and IGNORANCE. In September 26 of 2009, Metro Manila including the Provinces of Bulacan, Rizal and Lagunaall experienced the wrath of nature called Ondoy. These areas just happen to be in low lying areas and obviously were affected by flooding. But what we all fail to realize is the long term effects of what Ondoy did.

There were lives lost, in fact 646 to be exact, and billions of property lost but I will strongly stress that it is not only the low lying areas that will be affected most but high or mountainous areas too. Every juan who fell victim to this natural occurrence will then seek higher ground. Now, where is higher ground? Tagaytay, Antipolo to name a few nearby. The highest points like Mt. Apo and Mt. Pulag maybe to be extreme. But then there is the mountain resort of Baguio, a very beautiful place which will surely feel the influx of migrants from the lowlands. Who would not want to live here? It is liveable and beautiful, opportunities for livelihood and employment also abound, not to mention the stature of it as an educational haven.

By these things alone who would not want to dream of coming over and settling in this city. In the long run one of the places most affected by climate change in the world would be, I dare say, Baguio. With more people there shall be more problems, with more people there is more crime, with more people there is more garbage, with more people there is less water, with more people there is less land too.

In October 3, of 2009 a week just after Ondoy we experienced Pepeng. A storm encompassing all other storms. It came from a particular phenomenon called the “kashiwara effect.” Imagine a storm that is supposed to exit the country, came back a second and a third time, taking in more water from our seas each time and dumping more and more water every time it returns. You see, Gener poured as much water too as it slowly exited the country, feels like it never wanted to leave just like Pepeng.

It is another of those freak weather conditions. A perfect storm is once more brewing, north of the Philippines and headed to Taiwan and Mainland China. I will tell you we are lucky for now because it will be worse there since two storms are going to merge as one. These are the new breed of storms. It will be stronger and stranger, most unimaginable to many of us when it will come. This is not a forecast, it is the ugly truth to man’s continued disrespect to nature. Beware. I just hope and pray that when and if it comes we will be prepared. And please let us not point a finger on who is to blame because we are all to blame.

This is my warning, not of PAGASA or NOAH. A storm is brewing.