From typhoons to floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, Filipinos are frequently faced with tough realities, which they accept, endure, and live through in faith. 

At ESSC, we ask what lessons society can learn from the disasters that allow the poor adapt and move beyond the high risks endured by so many. We as a society, inclusive of government, share the responsibility to make this world safe for our people. In faith we act with God and country, but we must learn and act with the knowledge we gain of our circumstances and empower our people. This is the faith that does justice.

Some still find finger-pointing easy as to who is to blame: the loggers in Sierra Madre, riverbank and lakeside dwellers, developers, dam operators, and government officials. Yet the lessons of Ondoy and Pepeng are calling us to respond for the longer term. The middle class, rich and poor were affected. The poor are long since back and rebuilding their homes by the waterways.

Although there is great comfort in faith, there is also a need to shift beyond acceptance and to further understand the causes of events and how these can be avoided or managed in the future. Our faith requires us to read the signs of the times and take responsibility using the grace of knowledge that we share today with a clear resolve to act effectively and justly to secure the lives of all at great risk.

Land, people and science

Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces were flooded after Ondoy dumped 341mm of rainfall from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on 26 September 2009. The total amount in 24 hours was 455mm and Pepeng followed this closely. In all, about 800 people died, 400,000 people were displaced, and PhP17 billion worth of infrastructure and agriculture were damaged.

Marikina City, Cainta, Pasig City, and the towns ringing Laguna were devastated, some remaining so for three months. Most of Marikina City was submerged in 10-feet high of water and tons of knee-deep mud, with Provident Village getting the worst of it on the river meander. Local government planners and housing developers might well examine the historical reality of the land and water of Marikina valley and river where the broad floodplain south from the Wawa makes up nearly 40% of the total drainage area. The extent of the flood area and the very gentle slope (greatest 7 to 0%) and breadth, shows that naturally there is a history of flooding exasperated by the limited flow of the Pasig, shallowness of Laguna de Bay and propensity of water to back up. This potential lay dormant, but scientifically it is no surprise; it was just a question of when. Landfill and embankments in the individual areas of development are not enough to deal with the expected floodwaters of a 50- or 100-year event. The rains in Real, Infanta and General Nakar, December 2004, should have been reminder enough of the impending disaster.

"There was more rain than the usual," is the usual comment after every event since the Ormoc tragedy in 1991. Records show that the 24-hour rainfall of Ondoy surpassed the expected average rainfall of 391.7mm in Quezon City for the month of September. Uring in 1991 topped the record of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA, a US federal agency that tracks ocean and atmosphere conditions) in its global weather, water and climate events of the 20th century, so why be surprised with continuing flooding over the last 20 years? Considering Uring's magnitude of impact on the economy and the death toll, it was the most devastating tropical storm in the Philippines. Uring dropped over 580mm of rain and resulted in 6,000 deaths with damages of PhP1.045 billion. We are not being faithful to our responsibilities if we only include our fears in our prayers.

Tropical storm Santi following Pepeng did not lead to great casualties. Partly the reason is that Santi was anticipated and its path was closely monitored. Media, news bulletins, and Web-based updates sent out the message and areas flooded by Ondoy and Pepeng were also hit by Santi, but people were informed early enough to prepare.

Better master plans for re-development are needed, securing not only adequate relocation housing for the poor, but considerably better locations for housing with accessible livelihood opportunities. Poor relocation far from the market and work centers only results in high-risk illegal settlements back along the waterways.

During Ondoy, several people blamed the dam operators of Wawa, Angat, and La Mesa for the "flashfloods" in Marikina. There are no dams in the Marikina Valley. Wawa Dam was built in the 1900s and has been non-operational since the 1950s. For almost 60 years the "dam" is merely a weir with no significant volume of water held behind; the rapid flow came from the catchment area. Studies in the 1970s recommended that the Marikina riverbank be monitored by government so that that the water will not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure was to be built within nine meters from the riverbank, but comprehensive controls along the valley exposed individual developments, low cost housing, and squatter areas from San Mateo to Nanka, Loyola Grand Villas, and down river.

Pepeng hit Northern Luzon and subsequently triggered massive landslides. Surface water level was high due to soil saturation by Ondoy, so a further risk of flooding in Bulacan and beyond due to the dams arose. As the critical level was being reached, over 11,000 cubic meters per second of water was released for one day, excluding the volume released over the preceding five days. Obviously there is little premeditation of the different possible scenarios and lack of accountable systems and guidelines to effectively manage an emergency caused by human design.

Faith and Response

Many people perceive the flooding and landslide events as acts of God. This calls not only for renewal in faith but transformation in where and how we live. Some seek the Divine Providence's mercy and probable "miracle" while we must also recognize such events as unfortunate ways of awakening civil society and the county's local planning and management.

We underestimate people's capacity to respond to disasters as there remains the organizational lack within government systems as well as preparedness on the part of the local government and communities. Notwithstanding these perceptions and grief over loss of loved ones and resources, innumerable relief operations were initiated. Private and individual donors extended their help in the recovery and rehabilitation of typhoon victims. The discussion on climate change was heightened as the Climate Change Act of 2009 was enacted, establishing the formation of a formal body to draw up action plans. What should be the action plans and how should be put in place? Our awareness is not adequately translating into action, and change is needed, drastic it may be at times.

Faith is not just a buffer against shock nor simply compassion after the event, faith is dynamic, it is also mission and the envisioning and constituting far greater human security from disaster.