It has been nearly a month since Taal Volcano took the country by surprise when it roared to life and forced thousands of families who lived within its vicinity to evacuate in droves. Many have criticized the government over how poorly they handled the situation, from the lack of coordination of the local government units (LGU) to slow relief operations in the evacuation centers. Despite the best efforts of LGUs, the government response was too slow compared to the pace at which the events after the eruption unraveled.
It was frustrating to see how different media outlets, whom we expect to deliver timely and relevant information, employed technical and scientific terms that made it difficult for the general public to easily understand the situation. During the first few days, one could hear or read that the incident was a “phreatic eruption”, generating a plume of ash that rose from a measly 100 meters to a “10 to 15 kilometer” high column extending up to the sky.
It was terrifying to watch, but I could only imagine the terror felt by the people within the danger zone. Understanding what “phreatic eruption” meant was difficult, given the urgency of the situation. Mainstream news outlets failed to effectively translate jargon reported by government agencies into something readily understandable for the public.
Would it have drastically altered the situation for Batangas residents if they described the eruption with “volcanic explosions” instead of “base surge”, or called it “steam-driven” rather than “phreatic”? In this case, perhaps not really. But during bigger calamities, this could mean the difference between life or death.
Typhoon Yolanda, which struck Visayas in 2013, left over 6,500 dead in its wake, mostly from storm surges five meters high. Residents were unfamiliar with the term “storm surge”, and government bodies failed to emphasize its devastating effect. The German Agency for International Cooperation pointed out that the government’s warning “failed to sufficiently explain and clarify the specific dangers that were coming to the public.”
Adding to the problem is the increasingly limited resource allocation for disaster preparedness. In an almost ironic twist of fate, the eruption of the Taal volcano immediately challenged Congress’ decision last December to slash the budget allocation for the nation’s calamity fund by P4-billion. From P20-billion, only P16-billion remained for the so-called national disaster risk reduction and management fund, a staggering reduction of 20 percent. An increase of over P116-billion was earmarked for the Department of Public Works and Highways alone, raising its budget to more than P580-billion.
What was more unnerving was the budget allocation of P8-billion for the Office of the President, which indicates that P4.5-billion was dedicated to confidential and intelligence funds. There is nothing wrong with investing taxpayer money in efforts to protect democracy, but saving the lives of the State’s citizens in the face of natural disasters requires a quick and agile response, not an unhurried and passive investment.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año appealed to the public for donations to the families affected by Taal Volcano’s unrest. Planning and preparation are the most critical—yet unglamorous—stages in disaster management. Lessons learned from the experience are likewise key ingredients moving forward.
As the ash fall crept northward to other areas in Luzon, public fear and worry rapidly grew. Flights going in and out of Metro Manila were cancelled. Classes across the region were suspended by city mayors. Health advisories warned people to start wearing masks because of the hazardous effects of inhaling volcanic ash. Drugstores and hardware stores, ill-equipped for a sudden surge in demand, were swept clean of their stocks of masks in a matter of hours. At the same time, prices of N95 face masks reportedly skyrocketed to P200 apiece, prompting city officials to issue warnings against profiteering. “Huwag naman po natin gamitin ang panahon na ito para manamantala,” said Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna.
(Let’s not use this time to take advantage of others.)
The Lasallian community was not exempt from the rush of desperation. The same night the eruption happened, people were selling “dust” masks at triple—almost quadruple—its store price. The masks being sold were also not the kind recommended by government agencies, which made their usefulness questionable.
With no intention of romanticizing the calamity, the benevolence of humanity still shone through the dust. Street vendors in affected areas decided to forego a day’s profit to help feed the families in evacuation centers. Random strangers gave out much-needed face masks for free. Private companies and groups organized themselves to aid those in need. Despite the glacial pace of government operations, Filipinos have come together in solidarity with their fellow countrymen.
The recent eruption revealed how gravely unprepared our nation is when it comes to disaster response and management. This is not the last calamity our country will face, and there will surely be stronger ones to come. The government should realign, reassess, and ultimately do its job properly for its people. Calamities are unprecedented tests for civil society—from the government to citizens—on how they would be able to manage the situation. Ultimately, inadequate disaster preparedness really means not being prepared at all.
