Readying for the heat

There is no denying that Extreme El Niño is coming. Our key officials working at the Weather bureau, along with experts, are telling us to prepare for the worst. I took a peek at the projection and saw bloody red smeared all over the map of Central Visayas. We are indeed bracing for a weather event that will once again test our resilience.                                           

At this point, I don't even think it is about resilience. Climate change advocates have been warning us that the effects will be as bad as they can be, especially if we don't do something to mitigate them. I remember watching “An Inconvenient Truth” as a kid, which made me well aware of what the future could look like. Sometimes, I can't believe we are living it right now. Preparedness can only do so much.

I commend the different local government units for placing their best foot forward for this situation. They are making sweeping statements in front of the media that they are disbursing huge sums of money to procure equipment for El Niño. The items are more or less the same whenever we go through the hot season, on top of insurance and organic fertilizer. It makes me wonder where the previous equipment went or if they were even purchased at all. If only we could see where the money goes.

This phenomenon should not be taken for granted. Unknown to some, a situation like this can become a breeding ground for corruption. In the name of emergency and calamity, purchases can be made left and right without the proper procurement process. One name can win it all and payments can be made quickly, while kickbacks are given under the table. Those who need the assistance most continue to suffer as the heat intensifies. The water districts are also scrambling to find sources for the residents. I can only imagine it will be a hard time for all as costs continue to pile up. It is a situation that we cannot win if we do not work hand in hand.

It should all boil down to mindset. Purchases can only do so much, too. Without a changed mindset to move from awareness to preparedness, the warnings are very much audible even at this time. Empowerment is key when it comes to hard times like this. People should be taught what to store and how to do it as early as now to prevent panicking. The toxic Filipino trait of 'Mamaya na lang,' or last-minute cramming, should actually end. It is doing us more harm than good. We have heard the warnings. Now, we have to act like we did.

The time will really come when the heat becomes unbearable and the redness in the map comes to life. We should not wait until it will be too late to scramble for supplies and beg for intervention. It is best to act confident that when the crisis comes, we know what to do.