Davao de Oro governor: Typhoon Pablo, a learning experience

DAVAO de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said Typhoon Pablo served as a learning experience for the province.

"That crisis brought us a lot of lessons. Anaa dira ang instructive governance lessons -- ang pag-invest sa disaster response and management, ang pagprotekta sa atong kinaiyahan, ang paghatag og dugang atensyon sa public safety, health, ug ang kinatibuk-ang kaayuhan sa katawhan," the governor wrote on his Facebook post Saturday evening, December 4.

(That crisis brought us a lot of lessons. This included instructive governance lessons -- to invest in disaster response and management, protecting the environment, paying additional attention to public safety, health and the whole public welfare.)

He also attached on his post a photo of the blessing of the Tower of Hope in Andap, New Bataan.

He remembered the tragic event nine years ago, resulting in casualties in lives and properties.

"Apil sa mga nakabsan og kinabuhi ang atong mga kaila ug mahal nato sa kinabuhi. Nadamay pati ang atong mga propredad nga atong gihaguan," the official said.

(Among the casualties are those we know and love. Also affected were our properties and all that we worked hard for.)

Amid the calamity, Uy said he saw the importance of unity for the entire province to recover.

As the province faces another crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, he urged the public to show the same unity as done in the Pablo.

"Karon, anaa gihapon sa usa ka krisis ang tibuok kalibutan. Anaa kita sa usa ka pandemya nga dako usab ang nahimong epekto sa kinabuhi ug panginabuhian sa kadaghanan," he said.

(Now, the entire world is facing another crisis. We are in a pandemic that affected the lives of many.)

"In these most difficult days, we need to have the same unity that helped us recover from the wrath of Typhoon Pablo," he added.

Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) made landfall in Mindanao around nine years ago and was considered one of the worst typhoons to hit the island. The provinces of Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro (then Compostela Valley) were mostly affected. It left 1,067 dead and more than 800 missing.