The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the rainy season will begin by the end of May or early June.

The weather bureau’s estimate was off for some of those caught in the heavy downpour, floods, and road congestion last Friday, May 19, 2023, in Cebu. The rainy season is here or so it seems because it wasn’t just last Friday when the rains came.

That’s the laypersons’ understanding of weather changes but for Pagasa there are criteria to meet before it could declare the wet season is here.

Weather specialist Benison Estareja said the criteria are that at least seven Pagasa stations or 50 percent of monitoring stations must record a five-day period with a total rainfall of 25 mm or more and at least one mm rainfall for three consecutive days and that prevailing winds should have westerly components over the western Philippines as this relates to the development of rainfall-causing weather patterns. Estareja said this even as the Pagasa noted Friday the cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in several regions, including Central Visayas. Then, there’s another tropical depression coming.

But this is not about the weather bureau that, despite chronic limitations, has been trying its best to warn Filipinos early of disturbances. This is about government agencies in charge of preparing Cebu for the flooding and landslides that accompany heavy rains and what they did during the summer.

It is best to do the dredging of rivers and other bodies of water to remove garbage, sludge, and other debris when the rains have yet to come. The dredging will prevent the clogging of waterways and will ensure the water flow is not blocked. If there is a need to relocate informal settlers of low-lying areas or areas prone to flash floods, then it makes sense to move them before the rainy season begins. As to the improvement of the drainage system which would address the flooding in major streets, this should have been done during summer.

It is the same for house owners who take advantage of the dry season to undertake repairs or renovation. They have their roofs checked before the rains come to make sure holes and cracks are patched. You don’t do repairs in late May or early June. You start them as early as February or March.

The Cebu City Government and related agencies in charge of river dredging, relocation, and fixing the drainage system have to let the public know what they did during the summer to prepare for the rainy season. Could you give a report?

It’s like the assignment in school after the summer vacation when students are asked to do a report on what they did in the summer.

To ignore the suffering of commuters during the downpour last Friday is to admit they did not do enough to prepare Cebu for the rainy season.