Water, fire, and more

While heat and temperatures are rising, water levels are dropping.

With temperatures at 30°C/higher observed inside homes, outside the dangerous heat indexes at danger levels of 40°C/higher have been recorded.

Oh, if only the rains would come to chase the heat away and cause temperatures to drop!

No such forecast or sighting of rains, however. Everyone is constantly reminded that El Niño will tarry till about May, while global warming has to be mitigated soonest between now and 2030!

Some more bad news. Water levels are continuing to decline all throughout our land. In Cebu, at the Jaclupan wellfield in Talisay City, water production dropped from the usual 30,000 cubic meters to 14,193 cubic meters per day. At the Buhisan Dam, from 6,000 to 3,143 cubic meters per day and at the Lusaran Hydro in Cebu City, from 30,000 cubic meters daily to 15,000.

Years earlier, the attention of local/national governments has been called to prepare for El Niño and to take immediate action vs. global warming.

However, present government response to these long-forecasted problems clearly show how earlier red alerts have been ignored by irresponsible officials more interested in changing the Constitution so they can stay longer in power and wealth!

If in the past, the officials had enough time but didn’t do anything to prepare for possible water and global warming crises, now that the crises are here and adversely affecting people, communities, and more, can the public expect genuine official response to these crises now?

Again, we cry to the heavens, God bless our people and our country; spare us from self-serving officials; send us your servant-leaders soonest, please.

The problem of water is highlighted over and over again whenever a fire is reported. Whether the fire is in Tondo, Cebu, or elsewhere, the official response is sorely lacking and ineffective, with hundreds/thousands left homeless, desperate, and hopeless.

Water supply is always an issue raised during fires, either there isn’t enough water or not enough pressure to allow water to quickly extinguish the fire.

So is lack of space to allow fire trucks to draw near the fire scene and lack of order/security within the vicinity of the fire.

Can a better system be devised to save more homes, more residents from fires?

Again, like other disasters (typhoons, earthquakes, more) that have hit in the past, the same problems and issues keep popping up.

Were there no lessons learned by officials to improve disaster and crisis management from the past till now?

These lyrics keep coming back as well: “When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?”

Problems of typhoons/earthquakes, heat, fire, water, temperature increase, global warming, and more, are here and will continue.

If only there were responsible/qualified servant-leaders who, together with all stakeholders, will immediately review the situation/the problems/previous responses and assess doable measures to promptly implement, so much life can be saved, if only people and planet were genuinely protected!

Inclusive, doable, effective policy and action should be done immediately as so many are now experiencing not only extreme heat and lack of water supply and ineffective governance. Millions continue to struggle each day to stay alive, to have something to eat, and soon, to have water to drink!

Among them are the thousands now left homeless by fires, aggravated again by the lack of water supply and ineffective, non-inclusive governance.

With recent visiting artist James Taylor, many must be singing these lyrics through the fire, heat, problematic water supply, poverty, hunger, and more.

“Won't you look down upon me, Jesus? You've got to help me make a stand. You've just got to see me through another day. My body's aching and my time is at hand and I won't make it any other way.” (Fire and Rain)