Overpreparing?

As soon as weather models showed an approaching super typhoon, it seemed like the whole country was panicking. Of course one would understand, after the major devastations that we went through. Yolanda was the worst that took a lot of lives. Odette, meanwhile, gave most of the regions a hard time in terms of electricity and potable water. However, for Mawar whose name is set to change to Betty, the track is slightly different from the rest.

Our state weather bureau forecasts that this typhoon will pass by the sea and hit only the northernmost part of the country. There might be strong rains and winds but this is because of the southwest monsoon. For some government units, a heavy rainfall would already entail a full-blown disaster response.

Indeed almost all of the LGUs in the region are maximizing their resources to prepare against the effects of the typhoon. In Cebu City for instance, heavy equipment machines are positioned in the mountainous areas of both the north and south district in case there will be a landslide. In some cities, they declared a state of preparedness where their disaster personnel will be available for any eventuality. For others, they safely guarded their students by suspending classes. In Ginatilan, tourist spots are closed until the weather forecasts clear.

I encountered a comment on social media saying that the people, particularly the Cebuanos, are overpreparing for the coming of the storm. It is as if they are ridiculing the efforts of the LGUs to make sure that there will be no casualties and damage. I would like to engage that person in discourse, but I figured that it would only make the matter worse. For what it's worth, I commend the response now of our government units but I just hope that it didn't cause that much panic to their constituents.

I overheard some talks that the typhoon will hit us, thus the tremendous preparation. If only they took the time to actually verify and look at the track, then it wouldn't bring anxiety to some of us. It is a basic thing to do, but often neglected.

This weekend might be cloudy or rainy for some areas but it is a reminder to us that we are safe where we are. We might not get to enjoy the activities we planned but we remember that there are those who sacrificed their time to be on guard, to monitor any developments.

Then again, I'd like to believe that Cebu has always been protected by the saints and deities. Flooding might be the main concern in the next few days, but that's nothing a Cebuano can't fix. I bet by now even that issue has been taken care of and they are already preparing for the worst to come. Stay dry and make the best out of this cozy weekend. You know you'll miss it when the next cycle of the summer season comes. Bottom line? Learn how to adapt to the situation.