Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Editorial: Bracing for the worse
POWERFUL storm "Frank" has laid waste in our seas and lands in a cruel manner we have seen in the past typhoons that have battered our archipelago. It has sunk a vessel with hundreds of passengers on it-most of them already feared dead-and continue to flood different places in the country.
Powerful storms such as typhoon "Frank" are erratic, ruthless and do not discriminate between those who are unfortunate enough to be on its path-on the ground or in the high seas. These giant, ferocious winds can even topple planes in the sky.
The good news is humans are now aided with advanced instruments in predicting weather anomalies; the bad news is that they often care evaluating safety regulations and worry about disaster preparedness only after weather-borne tragedies have claimed lives and properties.
While Cagayan de Oro is an all-year round typhoon-free city, recurring floods have been bedeviling residents in years. It is worth noting that the city is not immune to weather disturbances that while may not be as fierce as huge storms, nonetheless pose imminent harm to the lives and properties of the people.
Case in point is the local government's longtime neglect of our drainage system. While it can churn out hundreds of millions for certified white elephant projects such as the Telepono sa Barangay and Bulua Market, drainage projects are unheard of. We've heard some, but these are limited to repairs of ancient and damaged waterways. There is no initiative for a comprehensive drainage system that would stop once and for all the onset of floods especially in downtown areas.
Another tragedy-in-waiting that begs for solution is City Hall's indifference to the mushrooming settlements inside the inhabitable islets beside the Cagayan de Oro river. The Environment agency earlier said the irregular settlers in the area would be in grave danger once the water level rises beyond the regular point when the river is inundated.
All these and other potential disasters should be looked into. Before lives are lost. Before the day of reckoning comes.
