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Netnet Camomot

IT has become a vicious cycle since Sendong. Typhoon, floods, calls for rescue. By this time, Cagayanons living in flood-prone areas should have learned to evacuate to higher ground each time there’s a flood threat. But then, easy for us to say, huh? The beloved home is where one feels most comfortable, and to leave his possessions behind could make him feel vulnerable, especially with bad elements lurking nearby to take advantage of an already precarious situation.

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I was monitoring reliable Facebook posts on Vinta as it regressed from no color to red. Red means forced evacuation. Whether you like it or not, you have to evacuate. There’s no choice. It’s much like hanging on to the helicopter in the Broadway hit “Miss Saigon”—it’s the last way outta there.

Last Friday was our day for pampering—hair, mani, pedi. It was three days before Christmas, might as well ensure those white roots won’t show in the Christmas Eve family photos.

On Thursday morning, I sent text messages to the hairstylist and manicurist to remind them of our appointment. By Thursday evening, despite the yellow rainfall warning, I was still optimistic everything would be fine the morning after.

4:30 am Friday dawn, I woke up to howling winds. Brrrrr. Made sure all the windows downstairs were shut tight. Went back to sleep, still believing all would be well.

The morning-after arrived, and the room with a view was now having a scary view of trees going wild, paired with howling winds that were howling much louder. I now had to text the hairstylist and manicurist if it was okay for them to be here. The manicurist replied she was already on her way here. And the hairstylist assured me, No probs! Wow! Talk of commitment and palabra de honor! If all Pinoys were as selfless as them, this country won’t need the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train).

We were in the midst of pampering when I received a frantic FB Messenger call from a doctor, informing me that a friend posted an SOS via Facebook to please rescue them, and the post was addressed to me.

This friend had been there, done that with floods and flood warnings, starting with Sendong, I thought she and her family were already staying in a hotel by Thursday evening. But she was also like me—optimistic that Vinta won’t be as bad as predicted.

But rainfall warnings nowadays must be taken more seriously, the same way Pinoys take traffic lights seriously? Hmmm. Pinoys are known to treat traffic lights as mere suggestions unless they’re driving in Davao City. But, no, those flood warnings and advice to evacuate are not merely a suggestion.

The ultimate optimism, though, is building houses in flood-prone areas even after Sendong, and those house owners were now among the flood victims of Vinta. There was chika then that devastation of Sendong proportions could happen only every 50—or was it 100?—years, and that gave Cagayanons false hope, encouraging Sendong survivors with one-story houses to build upper floors. After all, they had already invested hard-earned money on the properties that were flooded, and were now cleaning them up after Sendong, hoping floods won’t reach their doorsteps again.

But then, six years later and here’s Vinta. What happened to the promised 50 or 100 years?

Climate change has indeed changed the way this world turns, and we have to learn to face that reality. No more promises. No more false hopes.

In an ideal world, the government should buy the properties in flood-prone areas, with due compensation to their owners of course, and convert these areas into “official” drainage basins/catchment areas, or plant bamboos and trees on them. Otherwise, history will keep on repeating itself every—gasp—six years? But since I’m not an environmental expert, what do I know, huh?

A radio station anchor, while covering Vinta’s wrath and the eventual rescue operations, could hardly remember the organization’s complete name when he mentioned their Be Honest sign on Cagayan de Oro’s river dike. It’s the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP). There was a time when everyone thought only married couples could join them but they do accept single members. But that’s not what we’re going to discuss here.

The BCBP painted its advocacy, Be Honest, on a dike right across CDO’s city hall. It’s a huge sign, you can’t miss it if you’re driving over Ysalina Bridge. Or looking out of one of city hall’s windows, which we hope—false hope?—can remind city government officials to stick to serving the city instead of serving themselves and their pockets.

I don’t know if the BCBP knew that someday, the Be Honest on that dike would become a gauge for some Cagayanons in assessing flood depth. In other words, once it’s almost completely covered by water, that’s Code Red, forced evacuation. Meaning, please don’t wait for the city government and its anti-disaster team to convince you to seek higher ground. It’s Code Red—panic time.

Some uptowners were not even aware that some areas in downtown CDO were already flooded during Sendong. Some downtowners were also asleep the whole time, only learning about the devastation the morning after—there was a blackout then, people opted to save their gadget batteries for important messages and avoided making unnecessary phone calls and going online, thus, the lack of awareness on typhoon updates.

Vinta happened in the daytime and that’s one reason for the zero casualties. Another plus: Some Cagayanons did follow the city government’s proactive advice to evacuate.

Vinta is another lesson learned for Cagayanons. And this time, much closer to Christmas Day—three days! At least Sendong happened a week before Dec. 25.

CDO doesn’t need a third hard-lesson-to-learn despite the promise that the “third time’s a charm.” Let Sendong and Vinta be enough bases for all future floods.

Why do these typhoons choose Christmas for their great reveals? Hmmm. I’m sure Pag-asa’s weather experts have the answer.

Meanwhile, the madlang pehpohl of Pinas are demanding for answers to this: What happened to Ica Policarpio? Her family sought the help of the madlang pehpohl in finding her, and now that she’s found, pehpohl are seeking for answers because they also need closure.

And all these are happening while we’re expected to look happy in celebrating Jesus’ birthday. Whew.

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