Essential priorities

Fires continue to afflict residents especially those in poor communities. Despite prior experiences and reminders, communities like Lorega have repeatedly been hit by fires.

The same woes and “if only” are repeated: if only there were roads to allow the fire and rescue team easy access to the affected areas, if only the water supply were ample and steady, and so on.

Fires continue to displace people. Many victims will strive to start anew from yet another fire episode. The victims will have to be homeless for a while, until they are able to construct their next house or until they are allowed back to their former dwelling place.

They will need food to feed their large household. They will need jobs and wages to be able to buy food and water. They will need water, for drinking and other needs. More importantly, they will need to rebuild their lives, go beyond their disaster trauma and start anew once again.

They live in highly vulnerable areas — crowded, lacking in essentials like steady and safe water supply, standard, stronger housing materials, access roads, among others. Can urban planners and architects join with those in vulnerable communities and in a participatory manner, decide on and design a more disaster-resilient housing and community plan for the poor residents? Can educators and schools, together with the barangay residents, conduct regular and effective information campaigns and drills for better disaster prevention and management?

Prevention and management of fire and other disasters must be essential priorities for everyone, for all communities. Cooperation and collaboration are also essential necessities for disaster management. Pro-active, preventive measures related to disaster management, protection of life and resources, need to be prioritized urgently.

Build, build, build and mega plans need to come after the basic needs of people and communities are met. Expensive infrastructure must be done only after most, if not all, people and communities are provided the essential priorities for life and survival.

In urban areas, livable communities require steady supply and access to safe, affordable food, water, housing, health services and facilities, jobs with sufficient income, steady energy sources, proper roads and drainage, effective traffic and information/communication systems, among others.

In rural areas, for farming communities, access to or ownership of land, working water and irrigation systems, provision and access to farm inputs, road to market links and safety nets in case of variable weather and climate changes. For fisherfolks, access to fishing grounds, provision and access to and ownership of fishing equipment, funding support, storage for fish and other marine products, market links are essential priorities. For those in the forests, clear laws and implementation related to ownership and management of the forest and forest resources and products, funding support and insurance during vulnerable periods. Like their counterpart in the urban areas, those in the rural areas need the bare necessities of life — food, water, housing, health services and other forms of social support and safety nets.

If only public funds were properly used by officials, by now, our people and communities should already have been provided basic essentials for a sustainable, comfortable life and environment. If only the people’s essentials in all communities throughout this country were urgently prioritized, supported, and delivered on a regular basis, what a wonderful country this would be!

Regrettably, millions of our people continue to be vulnerable, unable and/or struggling to survive a day at a time. While the more numerous afflicted poor continue to be vulnerable and at risk, the corrupt and abusive are busy enriching themselves with people’s money.