NATURAL disasters are unpredictable and the havoc that these may cause can be horrendous and catastrophic.
Several decades ago tsunami hit the coastal towns south of then undivided Cotabato province. In another tragic event a powerful earthquake crumbled many buildings in Cotabato City. Over two decades ago, lake Maughan which is nestled in Mt. Parker in T’boli, South Cotabato overflowed and its walls gave way releasing tons of cascading waters that devastated everything around its path of over a hundred kilometers ending and sending silt in Rajah Buayan a town situated near Liguasan marsh.
In 2012, on the advent of Christmas, Typhoon Pablo levelled buildings, trees including vast fields of coconut trees and other agricultural crops in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley. The howler, the strongest ever that hit Mindanao, caught up fleets of fishing boats in Surigao seas. Floods inundate crops and man’s habitations.
All these happened in Mindanao, some occurred even before “climate change”, “carbon sink”, “watersheds” and “environment watchdogs” became part of our vocabulary and conversation.
In most of these disasters thousands of lives were lost and losses to crops and properties were beyond estimates. But Mindanao survived.
It is a sublime paradox but the best of virtues emerged in time of disasters. Potable water has become a scarce commodity and our own Davao City Water District dispatched water tankers to Bulatukan, Kisante, Malasila, Makilala poblacion and badly hit Kidapawan.
DCWD Chairman Ed Bangayan, the Board members and the management officials led by GM Edwin Regalado organized their own brigade to respond to appeals of victims. Later DCWD delivered 200 sacks of rice to Makilala, Magsaysay, Batasan, Malasila, Makilala and Kidapawan Water District.
In addition another 1,000 pieces of six-liter bottled water were given to Kidapawan through Mayor Evangelista and Kidapawan Water utility.
The Water Tanker deliveries continued as of this writing in areas where water has become inadequate or with no water supply at all. There will be no let-up in water tanker deliveries for as long as it is needed, says Chairman Bangayan. (To be continued)